Thiago Motta linked with Napoli as Conte speculation grows
Thiago Motta has emerged as a potential candidate for the Napoli managerial position, according to reports in Italy, as speculation intensifies over the future of current coach Antonio Conte. The rumours suggest Conte could be released from his contract with the blessing of president Aurelio De Laurentiis to take charge of the Italian national team, creating a vacancy at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Motta, who was sacked by Juventus in March 2025, is reportedly being considered as a successor.
Dario Canovi, the father of Motta's agent Alessandro Canovi, addressed the links but denied any current contact. "To know if Thiago likes the idea, you would have to ask Thiago," Canovi told Italian media. "Honestly, I haven't spoken to him, also because his agent is my son. It's clear that Napoli is a great club, a great team, but there is absolutely nothing concrete. My son and I have not heard from anyone, and certainly not Thiago either, because otherwise he would have warned us."
Canovi did confirm a past connection, revealing that De Laurentiis and Motta had a contact in the summer of 2023. "There was a contact between De Laurentiis and Thiago, but there was no occasion or situation to make an agreement," he explained. "Nothing extraordinary, it was one of the many contacts De Laurentiis had to find a new coach." That period followed Motta's successful stint at Bologna, which earned him the move to Juventus, and preceded Napoli's appointment of Rudi Garcia.
The 41-year-old Italian-Brazilian's tenure at Juventus was brief and turbulent, ending after just a few months. Canovi suggested the environment at the club was a significant factor in his dismissal. "Probably not everyone appreciated his presence, especially outside the club," he said. "There was great love for [Massimiliano] Allegri and Thiago's arrival was interpreted as a betrayal. Not through his fault, but the one who paid the consequences was him. I believe the problem was the environment, which was not ready to welcome him."
Canovi outlined the type of project that would appeal to Motta, emphasising a desire for long-term stability over immediate financial gain. "Thiago has received many proposals, but he is looking for a project," he stated. "I always use the example of English football: there you have fun and you marry long-term projects. Arsenal, before winning, waited years with the same manager. This is what Thiago is looking for: continuity, something to build and carry forward. It is not an economic fact. The important thing is to have an innovative football idea and to show a beautiful game."
This philosophy would represent a shift for Napoli, which has cycled through several managers since winning the Scudetto in 2023 under Luciano Spalletti. The potential departure of Conte after a single season would continue that pattern of instability. For Motta, Napoli would offer a return to a high-profile club in Serie A and a chance to rebuild his reputation after his difficult exit from Juventus, albeit at a club with famously high and impatient expectations.
The situation remains in flux, contingent on Conte's future with the Italian Football Federation. For now, the links to Motta appear speculative, with his representative's family insisting no formal discussions have taken place. Should the chain of events unfold as rumoured, Napoli's search would likely focus on a coach capable of implementing a clear, long-term vision, a criteria Motta's camp insists is his primary requirement.
