De Laurentiis Calls Sarri to Enquire About Possible Napoli Return | OneFootball

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is interested in a reunion with Maurizio Sarri, and has reportedly made the first exploratory move.

The Background

The current Lazio manager rose to fame at Empoli before moving to the Stadio Maradona (then called the San Paolo), where he enjoyed an unforgettable three-year spell between 2015 and 2018. Although the Partenopei didn’t win any silverware at the time, they came very close to dethroning the all-conquering Juventus, especially in Sarri’s final season.

The Tuscan manager ended up signing for Chelsea in the summer of 2018, before returning to Italy through the gates of Juventus a year later, in a move that saw him labelled as a ‘traitor’ by the Neapolitan crowds who once adored him.

Will Maurizio Sarri Continue at Lazio?

Sarri is currently in the middle of his second tenure at Lazio, having signed a three-year contract with the capital side upon his return last summer.

The 67-year-old has described this campaign as his most challenging, referring to the summer transfer ban, the January turmoil, the injury crisis, the refereeing crisis, and the ongoing fan protest against club president Claudio Lotito. However, he had always vowed to finish the season before opening a dialogue with the Biancocelesti management and deciding whether to stick together or part ways.

Napoli Keeping Tabs on Sarri

While most sources agree that Sarri doesn’t plan to resign from his post without any guarantees, as he did last time, a proposal from another club could encourage him to rescind his Lazio contract. According to La Lazio Siamo Noi, a return to Napoli could be on the cards for the head coach, especially following a phone conversation with De Laurentiis.

Aurelio De Laurentiis Repopens the Channels with Sarri

The movie producer reportedly called Sarri to enquire about his availability for next season. As the source explains, Antonio Conte could be heading out the door, potentially taking over the Italian national team. In this case, the current Lazio boss could be considered Napoli’s first choice to replace the Lecce native.

The report believes that the rift between the Napoli fanbase and Sarri is now water under the bridge. A large section of the Partenopei supporters could be in favor of the idea, especially after watching Lazio outplay their team at the Maradona last month.