LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-Luciano Spalletti has declared he will quit Napoli in the summer, and the team is apparently grooming former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique to succeed him.
Napoli’s immediate future is becoming less certain only a few weeks after being crowned Serie A champions.
Spalletti has asked to quit the club and take a vacation following the final game of the season, club president Aurelio De Laurentiis announced over the weekend.
After leading Napoli to their first domestic championship in 33 years, the Italian head coach has now announced that he will be taking a break from the game.
“I need to take some time to rest because I’m pretty tired,” Spalletti said. “I don’t know if you can call it a year’s sabbatical but I won’t be working. I won’t be coaching Napoli or any other team.”
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The search for Spalletti’s replacement has begun, and according to Corriere dello Sport, former Spain and Barcelona manager Luis Enrique has been hailed as the ‘perfect contender’ to take over the Italian champions.
The Spaniard, who in recent months turned down an offer from Chelsea but is still on Tottenham’s shortlist in their search for a new manager, has already begun negotiations with Napoli.
With Barcelona in the 2014–15 season, he won the treble, demonstrating his tremendous club football resume.
Napoli’s match against Sampdoria on June 3 will be Spalletti’s penultimate match before the team searches for a new manager ahead of the 2023–24 season.