De Laurentiis questions Conte future after Napoli's costly season
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is set for a decisive end-of-season meeting with head coach Antonio Conte, with the club's substantial investment and underwhelming campaign raising serious questions about the manager's future. According to reports from Italy, De Laurentiis has compiled a list of concerns following a season where a €230 million squad overhaul has failed to deliver expected success, with Napoli currently battling only for Champions League qualification.
Conte, who has one year remaining on his contract, confirmed the planned talks after a recent draw with Parma ended any faint hopes of catching Serie A leaders Inter Milan. The immediate focus is securing a top-four finish, but the subsequent discussion will determine the project's direction. The manager recently grew irritated by persistent questioning about his role, threatening to stop speaking to the media if his words were "instrumentalized."
The core of De Laurentiis's dissatisfaction lies in the club's massive financial outlay, which was undertaken largely at Conte's request. The president reportedly honored the coach's demand to have new signings secured before the pre-season retreat in Dimaro in mid-July, a period when transfer fees are typically inflated. Two emblematic signings were striker Lorenzo Lucca from Udinese and winger Noa Lang, whose combined cost was approximately €65 million.
Lucca, whom Conte publicly praised as a "dominant player" after a match against Udinese last season, was a specific target. Lang was a player the manager had already requested during the January 2025 window. However, in a surprising twist, Conte reportedly asked the club to move both players on just six months later in the January 2026 transfer window. This request was ultimately blocked by De Laurentiis due to financial fair play constraints, leading to alternative signings like Giovanni Simeone and Alisson Santos, who have since become two of the season's better performers.
The season has been marred by a staggering 41 total injuries, including 32 muscular issues, which have depleted the squad. Despite this, De Laurentiis is said to believe that, given the investment and the fourth-highest wage bill in Italy, more was justified than a likely second-place finish and an Italian Super Cup. The club was eliminated from the Coppa Italia by Como and finished a dismal 30th out of 36 teams in the Champions League Phase League, exiting European competition entirely in February.
With the team out of the title race and all cup competitions early, the president is now weighing the sustainability of a third season under Conte's leadership. The impending meeting will address not only the manager's future but also the strategic missteps in a transfer market that saw significant funds spent on players who quickly fell out of favor. The outcome will shape Napoli's approach to a critical summer, where financial pressures from the Champions League and the need for a coherent squad plan are paramount.
