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Antonio Conte may have led Napoli to Serie A glory, but doubts linger over his future at the club following tensions with club president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
The 55-year-old manager restored Napoli’s reputation after a disastrous title defence last season, steering them to their fourth Italian league title—and their second in three years. However, despite exceeding expectations and cementing his reputation as one of Europe’s most accomplished managers, Conte’s tenure may be short-lived.
Conte’s strained relationship with De Laurentiis has been an undercurrent throughout the campaign. The outspoken former Juventus and Inter boss has not shied away from criticising the way Napoli is run, and has openly questioned whether he will remain beyond the summer.
Speaking in the decisive weeks of the title run-in, Conte hinted at uncertainty regarding his continued involvement, suggesting that without clear plans and sufficient backing, he may walk away.
“You need to live in the moment… the fans are ambitious and want success. I’m open to everything, but we’ll need to assess the situation,” he said last month when pressed on his future.
Conte joined Napoli last summer amid chaos—following a historically poor title defence and the likely exits of key players like Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Despite a slow start to the transfer window, Conte quickly rebuilt the team in his image. Summer arrivals Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay proved pivotal in Napoli’s resurgence, despite joining late in August after two league matches had already been played.
Conte’s frustration was further fuelled by the club’s unsuccessful attempt to sell Osimhen, who eventually departed on loan to Galatasaray, and the January sale of Kvaratskhelia to Paris Saint-Germain. These decisions, made with little consultation, have reportedly left Conte questioning whether it’s worth staying for another season.
“I’m happy working in Naples and the fans have been incredible emotionally,” Conte recently said. “But whoever hires me knows I bring expectations. You don’t bring me in and expect a top-four finish to be enough. People expect titles—and I’m fine with that—but I’m not foolish. If the resources aren’t there to match those ambitions, we have a problem.”
Such candid commentary is not new from Conte. His departure from Juventus in 2014 came after criticising the club’s lack of European ambition and inadequate spending, famously likening the situation to being asked to dine in a €100 restaurant with only €10 in hand. That remark famously backfired when his successor, Massimiliano Allegri, led Juventus to two Champions League finals.
While De Laurentiis is no stranger to controversy, having taken over a bankrupt Napoli in 2004 and rebuilding it into a top-tier club, his frugal approach and clashes with managers have often led to instability.
If Conte does stay, he will have to prove his ability to cope with the demanding schedule that next season’s Champions League participation will bring. Napoli, with fewer matches than rivals Inter this season, have benefited from a lighter fixture load—an edge that will vanish come autumn.
