Maurizio Sarri is being tipped as Napoli’s preferred candidate to replace Antonio Conte, with uncertainty continuing to surround the current coach’s future at the Stadio Maradona.
Maurizio Sarri is rapidly emerging as the frontrunner to take over at Napoli should Antonio Conte decide to leave the club at the end of the season, according to growing reports across the Italian media.
Maurizio #Sarri è un nome in evidenza in una ristrettissima lista del #Napoli se dovesse finire il rapporto con #Conte (il “se” va tenuto). #Maresca non è obiettivo fin qui concreto, mentre il #ManchesterCity lo considera e sarebbe un possibile erede di Guardiola in caso di…
— Alfredo Pedullà (@AlfredoPedulla) April 28, 2026
Napoli’s managerial situation remains unresolved despite Conte still being under contract, with crucial talks expected in the coming weeks between the former Juventus and Inter boss and club president Aurelio De Laurentiis. Those discussions are set to determine whether Conte will continue into the 2026-27 campaign or whether Napoli will once again be forced into a high-profile coaching change.
With that uncertainty hanging over the Stadio Maradona, the club have already begun sounding out possible alternatives, and transfer expert Alfredo Pedullà claims Sarri has moved to the top of Napoli’s shortlist.
Sarri is currently in charge of Lazio after returning to the Roman club last summer, but his second spell has been far from straightforward. A transfer embargo left Lazio unable to strengthen for much of the season, creating a difficult environment for the veteran tactician and raising doubts over the long-term stability of his project there.
That has opened the door for speculation about a potential reunion with Napoli, the club where Sarri arguably produced some of the most admired football of his managerial career. Between 2015 and 2018, he transformed the Partenopei into one of Europe’s most entertaining sides and turned them into genuine Scudetto contenders.
During his three seasons in Naples, Sarri won 98 of his 148 matches in charge and built a team renowned for its slick passing, aggressive pressing and fearless attacking identity. Although he narrowly missed out on the league title in his final season despite collecting an impressive 91 points, his work left a lasting emotional connection with the supporters.
For Napoli, the idea of bringing Sarri back would represent both a tactical reset and a sentimental return to a coach who understands the demands of the city and the expectations attached to the shirt. His style also offers a sharp contrast to Conte’s more pragmatic and physically intense approach, which could appeal to a club looking to refresh its footballing direction.
Everything, however, still depends on Conte. Napoli are expected to sit down with their current manager shortly to clarify his intentions, but if the former Italy boss signals a desire to move on, Sarri now appears to be the name gaining the strongest momentum behind the scenes.
