Agent: ‘Conte holding Napoli talent hostage, lacks courage to use young players’ | OneFootball

The agent representing Napoli players Luca Marianucci and Giuseppe Ambrosino attacked Antonio Conte for ‘lacking the courage to use young players and holding them hostage.’

The criticism came after last night’s disappointing 1-1 Champions League draw away to 10-man FC Copenhagen.

During the injury crisis, the Partenopei have still not particularly dipped into their squad to give the main stars a rest, other than starting 23-year-old Antonio Vergara for the last two games against Sassuolo and Copenhagen.

Conte attacked by agent for ignoring young Napoli talent

MILAN, ITALY – JANUARY 11: Antonio Conte, Head Coach of SSC Napoli, looks on prior to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and SSC Napoli at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on January 11, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“I will not let myself be mocked by him,” agent Mario Giuffredi told Calcio Napoli 24.

“It’s just shockingly ridiculous. If Conte lacks the courage to use young players, that is not my problem. Allegri plays Bartesaghi, who was in the Under-23 side that got relegated, at Milan. Bernasconi played for the Atalanta Under-23 team and he starts with both Juric and Palladino as coach.

“Francesco Pio Esposito plays regularly for Inter, Gasperini picked a player born in 2009 like Arena, who a year ago was in Serie C.”

MILAN, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 28: Santiago Gimenez of AC Milan is challenged by Luca Marianucci of Napoli during the Serie A match between AC Milan and SSC Napoli at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on September 28, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

While Vergara has recently emerged for Napoli, others are rotting on the bench and getting barely any playing time.

“Conte has to decide if Marianucci and Ambrosino are Napoli players. If they are, then he must have the courage to actually use them,” continued Giuffredi.

“That does not mean a few minutes every 10 years! Otherwise, just say they don’t belong at Napoli, and let them prove themselves elsewhere.

“He cannot just continue to keep them hostage. We already had an agreement in place with Cremonese and Venezia for these players, but for the last month this man has refused to let the players go.

“If he keeps them here and then doesn’t even give them a minute on the field, then what is it for?”

NAPLES, ITALY – JANUARY 17: Antonio Vergara of SSC Napoli battles for possession with Tarik Muharemovic of US Sassuolo Calcio during the Serie A match between SSC Napoli and US Sassuolo Calcio at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on January 17, 2026 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

Vergara has been picked largely because Noa Lang is transfer-listed, while Matteo Politano and David Neres are both injured.

Giuffredi is also the representative for the player who turned 23 the day before he was given his full Serie A debut last week.

“We had several Serie A clubs who wanted Vergara, but he was fortunate that several players were injured in his role, and so he was given an opportunity to play.

“The only way to know if these players are fit for Napoli is to actually play them. I’ve never seen anyone make a career sitting on the bench, and I am not going to be taken for a ride.”

Politano is one of the other Napoli players under Giuffredi’s agency, along with captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, so this interview could cause some shockwaves.