Just two weeks after leading Napoli to their first Scudetto in over 30 years, manager Luciano Spalletti could leave the club at the end of the season, according to reports in Italy.
The 64-year-old’s contract with the southern club was set to expire at the end of the season, but the Partenopei triggered an extension to extend the deal till 2024.
As per reports from media outlet Il Corriere della Sera, Spalletti was baffled to hear the developments as he was not told of the developments in person.
Spalletti future is unclear
It was initially believed that Spalleti would be offered a handsome raise to his current salary of €2.8m per season. He had met the President for dinner last week for negotiations.
Moreover, he was also scheduled to take the team to South Korea in June for the side’s pre-season camp in preparation for next season.
However, the presence of the Director of Football Cristiano Guintoli impeded conversations between the two. The report also claims that with growing tensions, the pair are now hardly on talking terms.
De Laurentiis didn’t call the manager to congratulate him after securing the historic league title. Spalletti was also absent during the Press Conference on Thursday as goalkeeper Alex Meret faced the media.
Spaletti not mentioned in celebration announcements
De Laurentiis announced further plans for the club’s celebrations however, he didn’t mention the manager’s name even once during the media commitments.
The national newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport have also weighed in on the situation. The newspaper claims that former manager Rafa Benitez has been tipped to take over from Spalletti.
The Spaniard enjoyed a successful spell at the club from 2013 -15 leading them to the Coppa Italia and Italian Super Cup titles over Fiorentina and Juventus, respectively.
Benitez also led the club to the Champions League qualification in his first season and also came close to the Serie A title during his tenure.
Other names being reported for the position are former Juventus manager Antonio Conte and Atalanta’s Gian Piero Gasperini.
Photo credit: IMAGO / Fotoagenzia
