Napoli Favor Former Chelsea Boss as Conte’s Successor | OneFootball

Napoli are quietly preparing for Antonio Conte’s exit, as he’s the frontrunner for the Italy job, even though the process will take time, and Enzo Maresca is among their preferred options to fill the opening, Tuttomercatoweb reports.

Given his experience at Chelsea, hiring him would keep the bar higher than going with an up-and-comer, even if established. The Partenopei also covet Raffaele Palladino and Vincenzo Italiano. They are both under contract, but their deals with Atalanta and Bologna aren’t long-term.

According to Fabrizio Romano (via Calciomercato), Napoli and other Serie A sides might like Maresca, but he has put every negotiation on hold to wait for Pep Guardiola’s call about his future at Manchester City. He’s tied to them until 2027, but he could decide to step down at the end of the ongoing season.

His former assistant would be a natural candidate to take the reins. Juventus had tested the waters as well before hiring Luciano Spalletti. He led Leicester City back to the Premier League, where they didn’t stay long, and finished 4th with Chelsea before being sacked after 19 rounds this year. The boss had a cup of coffee with Parma in Serie B in 2021.

Our Take on Napoli and Maresca

Aurelio De Laurentiis has set his sights on a few emerging gaffers over the years, but he eventually always appointed veteran ones, probably simply out of comfort. The former Blues gaffer would be a compromise and reassure some of their cornerstones that the project will remain very ambitious. Though, it’s hard to compete with the Premier League lure and salaries.