Conte at Napoli, De Laurentiis in the final sprint

We turn the page. Definitely. Gasperini stalls, De Laurentiis trembles and launches the sprint – yet another – for Antonio Conte. The owner of Filmauro intends to close the soap opera on the new Napoli coach by this weekend. He probably would have liked to do it a few days earlier, perhaps on his birthday, but he doesn’t intend to go beyond the end of the championship. At most a few hours after the game over to put the papers in order, prepare the documents and finally start the season of redemption. The helmsman of the new Napoli who will have the important task of rebuilding the team (and reuniting the environment) after the rubble of this season will almost certainly be the former Italy coach, returning from a sabbatical (even something more) granted after the consensual resolution with Tottenham. Antonio Conte is not an alternative to Gian Piero Gasperini Let’s clarify this right away. It isn’t and couldn’t be. But possibly it is the product of a constantly evolving strategy which still saw DeLa as the protagonist: sometimes in the running, sometimes waiting until he found himself with the reins in his hands, the sole and last person to decide on the future of the new coach. This also explains the flirtations, the winks up to the courtships for Gasperini (without neglecting Pioli who remains in the background and the same Vincenzo Italiano). De Laurentiis is as if he were playing a game of poker in which even bluffing is a point. Gasp wasn’t, but after a clear opening he gave no signs of understanding (he continues to talk with Percassi about his future, but his stay in Bergamo for the next few years now seems certain) and De Laurentiis gambled his joker. Like a skilled croupier, the owner of Filmauro still had more than one ace up his sleeve and at the first Chip – which is certainly not the owner’s chirp/tweet – from the Dea technician he changed cards, game and strategy.

All in, up Antonio Conte. He is the designated coach, identified and courted since last November by Napoli. And it will be up to him to accept the challenge in the shadow of Vesuvius. The parties are in constant contact. Obviously before the white smoke there are several corners to be smoothed out. Not too many, but still important considering the weight and coat of arms of the former coach of Juve and Inter among others. We are thinking on the basis of a two-year contract – with an option for a third – of approximately 6 million per season plus two bonuses. Conte will bring with him a staff of very loyal people (at least four elements, including his brother Gianluca) and asks to have a say in the transfer market. In perfect Conte style, in short. The cards are dealt and as a good croupier would say: Les jeux sont faits. And if something were to change again, the parachute that goes by the name of is always ready Stefano Pioli, free since yesterday from the bond that tied him to Milan also for next year, or of Vincenzo Italiano. Rien goes further…

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