Napoli: Not Just Back, But Here to Stay | OneFootball

Is there a new dynasty brewing in the South of Italy?

It was nigh on impossible to miss Napoli’s Serie A triumph this year. The explosion in the city was of a magnitude that could have been heard (and seen) for miles. The win makes it two in three years for the Southern Italian club, which is huge. Before 2023, their last league title was in the 1989-90 season, when Diego Maradona was still at the club. After the three-decade-plus drought, which featured some appearances in Serie C and huge financial issues, Napoli are back at the top of Italian football.

After their win in 2022-23, the club plummeted to 10th in the following season due to some mismanagement from the owner, Aurelio De Laurentiis. He replaced manager Luciano Spalletti with Rudi Garcia, an uninspiring appointment that did not deliver the quality necessary. Garcia didn’t make it to the new year, and was replaced by Walter Mazzarri, who only lasted a few months before being fired himself.

It seems that De Laurentiis, the filmmaker extraordinaire, has learned from his mistakes this time around. A splashy hire of Antonio Conte made waves prior to the start of the season, but it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing from start to finish.

There was the debacle with Victor Osimhen, the team’s leading scorer from the past three seasons, who had several moves fall through prior to the start of the season due to Napoli’s wavering price asks. Turkish side Galatasaray finally agreed to a loan, and Napoli still managed to get off to a hot start despite the saga.

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However, the drama would return come the January transfer window, and the the sale of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had many fans up in arms. “Kvaradona” was, along with Osimhen, an undeniable part of the team’s championship run, and without a replacement signing in the window, it looked like things were going to crash.

Yet, Conte saw it out until the end to win the title. It was his masterpiece, for sure, considering the squad didn’t have the flashy stars normally present on title winning clubs.

A major difference in this year’s title compared to the one from two years ago is that the manager is staying on for next year. It was already known that Spalletti would be leaving the club following the 2022-23 season, and for a moment, it looked as if history would repeat itself, as Conte was heavily linked with making a return to Turin with Juventus.

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But thanks to his wife, De Laurentiis, and perhaps some divine intervention from Maradona above, Conte announced he was staying at the club.

The club also announced that it would match the manager’s demands. Significant budget to spend on players, new training facilities, and a higher wage are all guaranteed for Conte to use for next season. Plus, work is set to be done to the Stadio Maradona to remove the track and bring the fans closer to the pitch, which is nothing but good news for the players, manager, and most definitely the fans, as you currently can barely see the game from the lower tiers.

This all becomes even more significant when you look at the current context of Serie A.

Inter Milan, perhaps Napoli’s biggest competition, is losing their manager Simone Inzaghi, who left for Saudi Arabia, and have appointed Cristian Chivu, a coach relatively under-qualified for a role of this stature.

Juventus are tossing and turning on whether or not to keep manager Igor Tudor after the hammer blow of Conte’s rejection knocked them dizzy. Atalanta decided to replace Gian Piero Gasperini with Ivan Juric, a baffling move given he’s just led Southampton to one of the worst points tallies in Premier League history. The only team you could look at and be confident for their future right now is AS Roma, who finished the season strongly and poached Gasperini.

All of this chaos positions Napoli as clear favorites for the title next season. The door is wide open for the club to start a dynasty of its own, much like Juventus, who won nine trophies in a row. If they get the recruitment right and keep Conte happy, there’s no reason why Napoli can’t go on to win their fifth Scudetti next season. Jonathan David and Kevin De Bruyne are heavily linked with the club, with the latter’s announcement imminent. Throw in Luca Marianucci in defense and some more recruits, and Napoli could build a fearsome squad led by Serie A’s best-ever manager.

One thing to note as well is the way De Laurentiis has developed in his ownership of the club. He’s been incredibly mature throughout it all, something we cannot say of seasons gone by. The fact that things didn’t implode after an unsuccessful January window, and that he was able to secure Conte for at least another season, show his growth from years past.

Many had thought the manager situation in Napoli was going to blow up, especially after the awkward handshake between De Laurentiis and Conte during the title celebrations, but it’s gone the opposite way. Learning from his mistakes, De Laurentiis has kept Napoli on an upward trajectory, something which he needs to be given credit for.

Back in the Champions League as well, Napoli’s brand continues to grow. With stars like De Bruyne seeing the club as a viable option, it’s only going to go up from here if it can continue on this trajectory. No longer can Napoli be seen as the minnows or the underdogs next season. They are lining up to be the strongest in the league, which demands respect. It’s Napoli leading the Southern revolution in Italy and much to the North’s dismay, it seems like they’re here to stay.