ADL: 'Di Lorenzo, a striker and Sarri'
Football Italia
Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis confirmed Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s arrival, the search for a “top level striker” and why he’d be amused by Maurizio Sarri at Juventus.
The Partenopei were gathered in Capri to celebrate Coach Carlo Ancelotti’s 60th birthday.
“Ancelotti has proved himself an exemplary travelling companion, but is also a cultured, polite and pleasant person,” De Laurentiis told Sky Sport Italia.
“We can talk about everything and have many similar interests. We both have a great sense of respect and friendship, which is fundamental, especially in football where anyone can just give you a pat on the back and then betray you.”
With that in mind, De Laurentiis was informed that former Napoli Coach Sarri is very close to leaving Chelsea for Juventus.
“I would be amused by Sarri to Juve, but I am not the one to say if he is the right Coach. I am not Andrea Agnelli, but he knows his club perfectly well and is the best judge to decide what to do.
“The there are also Milan, Fiorentina, Roma, perhaps also Lazio, if Sarri were to stay at Chelsea and Simone Inzaghi end up at Juve. There are many clubs who could change this summer.
“I am hanging on to Ancelotti, as I am monogamous. If I were to find a Coach that was suitable to the project of growth, I’d keep him for life, as it’s easier.
“Napoli will certainly be stronger next year. Carlo needed the first season to get acclimatised to the Italian atmosphere again, somewhere he hadn’t worked for a long time.
He had to use all the players that Sarri didn’t bother with and had to evaluate them all over again.”
They have already made one new signing, because Empoli right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo was in Naples today to sign the contract.
“Di Lorenzo is the first gift for Ancelotti. He is an excellent full-back, is still young at 26 and a very good buy. I like that players who come from what might seem like minor clubs end up having a greater sense of responsibility and effort, because they have to fight to the end and not talk too much.
“What we need to do now is find a great striker, at the top level. However, we’ll only get him if it’s the right one, so we’ll make an effort to sign him, but not if he doesn’t convince me.”
There have been reports Fabio Quagliarella will return to his hometown club after the Capocannoniere title at Sampdoria.
“Quagliarella was just a show of love, to say that if he was tired and wanted to play a few games with us, the door was always open. However, we need to figure out if we need a real centre-forward or a second striker. The transfer market can create some surprises.
“By Monday, I’ll give you another piece of good news for the summer.”