De Laurentiis invites Napoli offers but demands guarantees over the club’s future

Aurelio De Laurentiis would consider selling Napoli to a serious buyer, but any offer must come with assurances that the club’s project will continue. His comments open the door to a takeover approach; they do not mean a sale is agreed or imminent.

“Can anyone pay for the efforts I have put in over a quarter of a century? I don’t know,” De Laurentiis told TG5. “If there is someone, they should come forward; then we will check and assess. What guarantees will they give our fans that they will continue the path I started?”

The question of continuity carries particular weight given De Laurentiis’s history with the club. He said 25 years have passed since he first became interested in Napoli. His initial offer failed, and he later took over after the club’s bankruptcy. De Laurentiis recalled that Napoli had effectively ceased to exist, and said he preserved its name out of respect for the people of Naples and Diego Maradona.

He has also described a Champions League win as the major achievement missing from his time in charge. Any future ownership discussion, then, would concern more than a change at the top: De Laurentiis is asking a potential buyer to explain how they would carry forward the work he believes remains unfinished.

The ownership comments come with Napoli eighth in Serie A on 10 points from six matches. Their immediate task is a trip to Venezia on Saturday, 17 October, before any potential buyer has made a public case for taking the club forward.

De Laurentiis also offered a strong public endorsement of Massimiliano Allegri, who took over after Antonio Conte left at the end of last season. He called Allegri “a great protector of the dressing room” and said the coach manages the players well, adding that “with him, the work is perfect.”

On Kevin De Bruyne, De Laurentiis said the midfielder had reached his best physical condition and was making a difference for Belgium and Napoli in recent weeks. He credited successful games for Belgium with lifting De Bruyne’s confidence. De Bruyne has scored twice in his one league appearance this season, giving Napoli a direct attacking contribution as they look to improve their position.

For now, the next step is on the pitch in Venezia. On ownership, De Laurentiis has made his position clear: a serious offer can be assessed, but a buyer must also address what happens to Napoli’s project after him.