Armando Areniello, a journalist expert in the football transfer market, discussed Antonio Conte`s situation and Juventus`s managerial choices in a recent interview.
Will Conte remain at Napoli next season?
Areniello stated, `Yes, absolutely. We can say that today Antonio Conte is in a stable position and there is a high probability, around 80%, that he will remain on the Napoli bench. It is not absolute certainty, because in the transfer market nothing is ever 100% guaranteed, but it is very likely that he will stay. Obviously, the club will play a crucial role, because at the end of the season there will be a summit with De Laurentiis and Conte will want guarantees to strengthen the squad for next season, which will be very important for the club, being Napoli`s centenary year.`
Addressing rumors of Conte being linked with other clubs, Areniello firmly denied them.
He clarified, `Absolutely, I deny these rumors. First of all, Conte has signed a three-year contract without clauses, and I want to emphasize that. Furthermore, Milan and Juventus, the two clubs he is often linked with, could have taken him last summer when he was free, but they didn`t. Juventus, for example, avoided Conte due to salary issues: we are talking about almost 10 million euros between fixed part, bonuses and staff. Today Juventus cannot afford such figures, as they are trying to lower the wage bill. Milan, historically, has also not invested such high sums for a coach in recent years. That`s why I believe that the Rossoneri club may turn to profiles like De Zerbi, Xavi or Sarri.`
When asked about potential destinations for coaches like Pioli, Allegri, and Sarri, Areniello provided insights on possible movements.
He mentioned, `At the moment no club has already closed a deal with a particular coach, but some names have been linked to various teams. Sarri, for example, has been linked to Milan, as in the past also to Atalanta, where Gasperini might leave. Regarding Allegri, there has been talk of interest from Milan, but at the moment there are no concrete signs. A club to watch is always Inter: the will is to continue with Inzaghi, but in football nothing is ever certain, so we will have to wait until the end of the season to have certainty.`
Discussing the interest in Oumar Solet from major clubs, Areniello analyzed the player`s potential.
He explained, `Solet is a player who is growing a lot and who is of interest to several clubs. It`s a bit like what happened last year with Alessandro Buongiorno, who could have been taken for 25 million and was instead bought the following year for 40. Udinese took him on a free transfer and now values him at 30 million: a slightly high figure, considering that the player still has to prove himself at consistent levels. Napoli and Inter are following him, but Roma could also be interested. His growth will be decisive in understanding whether the big clubs will make a significant investment in him.`
Regarding contract renewals at Napoli, specifically Meret`s situation, Areniello drew parallels with Kvaratskhelia`s prolonged negotiation.
He concurred, `Yes, I agree. There is talk of a renewal that is now defined, but until the official announcement arrives we must remain cautious. As I already wrote in January, the renewal should be for two years with an option for the third year, not an annual one as initially wanted by Napoli. The length of the contract was the main sticking point between supply and demand. However, until there is an official statement, we must monitor the situation, because Meret is liked by several teams, both in Italy and abroad. There has been talk of Roma and Inter, although Roma already has Svilar who is doing very well. He is also liked in the Premier League, but if I had to venture a guess, I would say that Milan could be a plausible destination. The Rossoneri club could sell Maignan, whose contract expires in 2026 and has not yet renewed, so they could look around for a possible replacement.`
Finally, Areniello speculated on Napoli`s striker options for the next season, considering Romelu Lukaku`s role.
He concluded, `There are three strikers who could change teams at the end of the season: Vlahovic, Lookman and Lucca. Two of these three names, Lucca and Lookman, are very popular with Napoli. In particular, for Lookman, Napoli could offer an interesting counterpart, namely Giacomo Raspadori, to lower Atalanta`s valuation, which starts from 60 million euros. Regarding Vlahovic, I believe that his future is in the Premier League. I also do not rule out that he could stay at Juventus until the expiry of his contract, because the Bianconeri club wants to sell him, but a team is needed willing to pay him a salary of over 10 million euros per season. If a buyer willing to cover that figure is not found, he could remain in Turin until the end of the contract.`