With Sarri hesitating and Allegri moving closer to Milan, Aurelio De Laurentiis is increasingly intrigued by the Bologna coach’s attacking philosophy and rising profile.
As the expected departure of Antonio Conte draws closer, SSC Napoli appears to be shifting its focus toward a new leading candidate for the bench.
And that candidate is increasingly becoming Vincenzo Italiano.
According to reports in Italy, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is seriously considering the current Bologna FC 1909 coach as the ideal figure to launch the club’s next cycle.
Italiano is not a new name in Naples.
De Laurentiis has admired the Sicilian-born manager for years and previously explored the possibility of bringing him to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona before ultimately choosing different directions.
Now, circumstances may finally align.
The growing optimism around Italiano comes largely because Napoli’s other high-profile targets are becoming increasingly complicated.
Maurizio Sarri has reportedly irritated Napoli executives by delaying his decision while simultaneously evaluating a lucrative proposal from Atalanta BC.
The former Napoli coach is also believed to be carefully managing his exit strategy from SS Lazio to avoid direct conflict with president Claudio Lotito.
As a result, Napoli has grown increasingly frustrated with the uncertainty surrounding Sarri’s position.
Meanwhile, Massimiliano Allegri — another dream target for De Laurentiis — now appears closer to joining AC Milan.
That combination of factors has accelerated Napoli’s internal discussions around Italiano.
And unlike previous years, the Bologna coach is no longer viewed as a risky gamble.
Italiano has steadily built one of the strongest résumés among Italy’s modern coaching generation.
After climbing through the lower divisions by winning both Serie C and Serie B earlier in his managerial career, he established himself in Serie A through an aggressive, attack-minded style of soccer that has consistently impressed club executives across the country.
His reputation grew even further this season.
At Bologna, Italiano successfully inherited the difficult post-Thiago Motta transition and guided the club through another highly competitive campaign, winning the Coppa Italia and reaching the Europa League quarterfinals before being eliminated by eventual champions Aston Villa FC.
Inside Napoli, there is growing belief that Italiano now possesses both the tactical maturity and personality required to handle the pressure of a title-contending environment.
The challenge, of course, would be replacing Conte — a coach whose charisma and winning pedigree have defined Napoli’s recent success.
But sources close to the club believe the idea would not be to imitate Conte’s era, but rather to completely reset and start a new project with a different identity.
That is part of what appeals to De Laurentiis.
Italiano’s tactical philosophy is also viewed as a natural fit for Napoli’s current roster.
The squad was largely constructed around a 4-3-3 system but has enough attacking versatility to transition smoothly into Italiano’s preferred variations, including a 4-2-3-1 setup.
Club officials reportedly believe the team already possesses the technical quality, depth, and attacking options needed to thrive under a more proactive style.
In other words, Napoli believes the foundations are already there.
What the club needs now is the right coach to unlock them.
And after years of admiration from afar, Vincenzo Italiano may finally be about to get his chance.
