Will a Serie A winning mercenary pursue the Serie A conquest with Korean players like Lee Kang-in or Kim Min-jae?
The Italian 'Arena Napoli' reported on the 28th (Korean time) that 'Napoli is desperate to capture coach Antonio Conte. Under the leadership of Aurelio De Laurentiis, the president of Napoli, surrounding officials and Romelu Lukaku, who achieved victory with Napoli, united to persuade him.' It also stated that Coach Conte has kept the door open for negotiations.
Prominent Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio noted on the 26th that 'Coach Conte and Napoli are on the verge of separation, aiming for a mutual agreement to terminate.' He added, 'The choice for Napoli’s bench is Massimiliano Allegri, and Coach Conte hopes to move to Juventus. Both sides are working to resolve the situation immediately.'
The media reported that 'After achieving the fourth Scudetto in history, Napoli began planning the club's future, starting from the coach. The relationship with Conte is gradually approaching its end. A meeting is scheduled to assess the situation between the club and Conte after the papal visit. However, currently, intentions, strategies, and atmospheres are all heading in one direction.'
Coach Conte is poised to leave Napoli just after winning. He made an impressive start by leading the team to the top of Serie A as soon as he took office this season. Napoli achieved self-affirmed victory with 82 points (24 wins, 10 draws, and 4 losses) by defeating Cagliari 2-0 in the final league match on the 24th. It was an exhilarating victory.
Napoli surged ahead from the beginning under the management of 'winning mercenary' Coach Conte. They brought down opponents led by Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay and steadily accumulated points with the league's strongest defense. Napoli experienced ups and downs in the second half of the season, even surrendering the first place to Inter Milan.
However, towards the end of the season, Inter Milan began to falter while competing in the UEFA Champions League, and Napoli seized the opportunity to reclaim the lead. They secured their Scudetto two years after the 2022-2023 season, where Kim Min-jae played, by defeating Cagliari in the fateful final match held at home.
As a result, Coach Conte became the first coach to lift the trophy with three different Serie A teams: Juventus, Inter Milan, and Napoli. Moreover, he set a remarkable record by winning with a team that finished 10th the previous season. Additionally, Coach Conte’s Napoli topped the league with a defensive record, scoring only 59 goals and conceding just 27, ranking among the lowest-scoring championship teams in history.
Leaving Tottenham, Coach Conte promptly proved himself as a 'winning mercenary.' He took over Tottenham in November 2021 and raised the team to fourth place, but fell into a slump the following season. Coach Conte’s overly defensive play with Son Heung-min and Harry Kane resulted in poor performance and outcomes, leading to increasing calls for his dismissal.
Then, Coach Conte lost his composure and made explosive remarks in March 2023. He criticized, saying, 'Tottenham players are selfish and do not help each other. They do not run for important things. They do not want to play under pressure and stress.' This was not the end. Coach Conte further pointed out Tottenham’s 'trophy-less DNA,' stating, 'The club and players do not have the ambition to win. This is the story of Tottenham. There has been the same owner for 20 years, but nothing has been achieved. The blame only falls on the coaches.'
Coach Conte has successfully revived himself in Napoli. He expressed, 'It's truly wonderful. There were so many people that it was hard to get into the stadium. I thought if I disappointed the fans, it would linger in my heart for too long. The players were excellent under pressure. It is commendable for a team that finished 10th last season to win.'
However, the potential separation from Napoli is rooted in conflicts with President De Laurentiis. Coach Conte demanded reinforcement when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was sold to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) during the winter transfer market, but President De Laurentiis rejected the request, citing expense. This does not imply a unilateral dismissal.
Both sides are expected to part ways through amicable mutual agreement. Di Marzio explained, 'This relationship seems to be ending without significant rifts. Conte and Napoli will likely remain a family. The reasons for this decision are varied and are not limited to financial or transfer market aspects.'
However, the situation has changed. Arena Napoli reported, 'President De Laurentiis met with Coach Conte. The final decision has not been reached, but the meeting was somewhat positive. However, Coach Conte still needs more time to make a decision.' It added, 'This meeting was merely the first encounter. Both sides plan to have additional meetings after giving it some time.'
Meanwhile, Napoli has embarked on significant reinforcement efforts to capture Coach Conte. The acquisition of superstar Kevin De Bruyne from Manchester City is highly likely. Additionally, they are strongly linked with Korean players like Kim Min-jae and Lee Kang-in, who are being sought after by their respective teams. It remains to be seen if Napoli can emerge as a dark horse in the transfer market, marking a new chapter based on Coach Conte's potential stay.
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