Vincenzo Italiano's Name Is Being Heard at Napoli

As end-of-season managerial movement begins in Italy's Serie A, the name standing out on the Napoli side is Vincenzo Italiano. According to Italian transfer journalist Nicolò Schira, Napoli have made contact with Bologna's coach Italiano for the head-coach seat that is expected to become vacant. Schira reports that talks are in progress between the two sides and that Napoli are preparing to take a concrete step.

According to Schira, Napoli have prepared an attractive offer to convince Italiano. It is stated that Napoli are ready to offer the coach, who currently has a contract with Bologna until 2027, a deal valid until 2028 with an option for 2029. This offer shows that the club wants to place Italiano at the center of its project.

At the root of this search lies Antonio Conte's departure from Napoli. The Italian coach, who won the Serie A title for the club the previous season and carried the team to second place and the Supercoppa this season, is expected to leave Napoli to take charge of the Italy national team. This situation pushed club president Aurelio De Laurentiis and sporting director Giovanni Manna into a search for a new coach.

Italiano being at the top of this list is no coincidence. According to Schira, Italiano is a name De Laurentiis has long admired. In fact, the Italian coach came very close to the Napoli head-coach seat in the summer of 2021 but, in the choice made at the time, finished behind Luciano Spalletti. For this reason, Italiano is regarded, in the president's words, as "an old dream."

Vincenzo Italiano's career also justifies this interest. The coach, who worked at Spezia and Fiorentina and played in consecutive Conference League finals with Fiorentina, is most recently at Bologna. Italiano, who won the Coppa Italia with Bologna in 2025 and carried the team to the Champions League after a long absence, is experiencing one of the brightest periods of his career. This performance placed him on the radar of big clubs.

Besides Italiano, there were other names on Napoli's list. According to Schira's earlier reports, coaches such as Enzo Maresca, Maurizio Sarri, Daniele De Rossi, and Fabio Grosso were also among the alternatives being considered. But with Sarri turning toward Atalanta, it is stated that Italiano has become the strongest and most likely candidate for Napoli.

In conclusion, according to Nicolò Schira's report, these talks between Napoli and Vincenzo Italiano are still ongoing; no official agreement has been announced. With Napoli preparing for a new era following Conte's departure, sitting down at the table with Bologna's coach is a candidate to be one of the most closely followed managerial scenarios of the summer transfer window. Whether Napoli's move will yield a result is awaited with curiosity.

Source: Citing Nicolò Schira's report; based on reports by Napoli Magazine and Tribuna. The process is in the nature of claims; no official agreement has been announced.