While waiting to find out what the future holds for him, Stefano Pioli’s options for next season might just have expanded given the interest of another Serie A club.
This morning’s news is that Napoli have chosen their next sporting director, and it will be former Juventus player Giovanni Manna. One of his first moves will be deciding on the new head coach given that Francesco Calzona’s future beyond this season is far from certain.
Sky correspondent Massimo Ugolini (via Radio Rossonera) explained what Napoli’s strategy is in view of the summer as they aim to appoint the right key figures and stabilise after a terrible Scudetto defend.
“The first piece of the re-foundation will obviously come from the choice of the new coach. Today, the most popular name is Italiano, an old passion of the president since the days of Gattuso,” he said.
“He is in the same league as Stefano Pioli, another coach who could be right for Napoli. As long as the paths separate between him and Milan.
“The re-foundation has already begun with the choice of the new sporting director, a young man with ambition and enthusiasm to start again and make the big leap together.”
According to a report from the Sky website earlier in the week, Pioli has produced enough positive form in the second half of the season to warrant the final year of his contract.
Remaining in the Europa League has also been a factor in the confidence in Pioli, and the hierarchy at the club now think that the conditions are there for him to continue as coach for 2024-25 at least.
