Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis has firmly dismissed speculation linking manager Antonio Conte with a move away from the club, delivering a powerful and personal statement of support.
“Conte will not kill his child,” De Laurentiis declared, using a vivid metaphor to describe the coach’s commitment to the project he started just months ago. “He has a four-year contract. We have a project, and he is the leader of that project. He will not abandon it.”
Conte was officially appointed as Napoli’s head coach on June 5, 2024, signing a deal that runs until June 30, 2028. His arrival followed a turbulent season where the club, the defending Serie A champions, finished a disappointing tenth in the table.
The president’s comments come amid growing rumors in the Italian media suggesting Conte could be a candidate for the AC Milan job, should Stefano Pioli depart. However, De Laurentiis’s words leave no room for doubt about the former Juventus and Inter manager’s immediate future.
“He is happy here in Naples,” De Laurentiis stated, directly addressing the transfer gossip. “He is focused on building something important. The rumors are just noise. We are working together for the long term.”
With Conte at the helm, Napoli now look ahead to the 2024/2025 season, aiming to rebuild and return to the top of Italian football under his experienced guidance.
