De Laurentiis says Napoli are not for sale after rejecting a €3.5bn bid

The president describes his contacts with New York businessman Matt Rizzetta and says he would sell only to someone from Naples. He spoke two days before Napoli face Roma, with the team ninth in the table.

by Rosaria CimminoThursday 22 October, 15:20 CET· 8 hours ago

Aurelio De Laurentiis — Foto: Presidenza della Repubblica · Attribution

"Napoli are not for sale. I turned down an offer of three and a half billion for the club from the Arabs." Aurelio De Laurentiis gave that answer on radio to the takeover rumours that had pushed the Roma game off the front pages since Wednesday 21 October.

On Wednesday we reported that the press was split. Some papers saw a club up for sale. Others saw nothing more than a courtesy coffee. On Thursday 22 October the president spoke for himself and backed the second version. The figure he gave is far higher than any valuation reported so far.

At the centre of it all is Matt Rizzetta, a New York businessman who already owns Napoli Basket. He leads an American consortium that wants to build a multi-sport club. The two men are reported to have met face to face in Naples in recent hours.

De Laurentiis traces the story further back. "About a year ago I received a request for a meeting from the businessman. I said yes out of politeness. He introduced me to a couple of funds that Rizzetta himself represented and that wanted to buy Napoli."

Lawyers, instalments and an honorary president

The president also explained how those talks stalled. The club's lawyers met the funds' lawyers, but due diligence never began. The funds wanted to pay the agreed price in several instalments. Meanwhile De Laurentiis's role would have been cut back step by step until he was only honorary president.

"But I have a responsibility towards the city and the fans. I have to give guarantees, above all to them."

In his account, the most recent contacts were simply courtesy. Rizzetta asked him for a seat in the Tribuna d'Onore (the VIP stand) at the Maradona. De Laurentiis invited him to a basketball game. When Rizzetta asked again about a sale, the answer was again no.

"I would sell Napoli to someone from Naples, certainly not to an American."

That is the line most likely to cause debate. He added: "Anyone born in this city knows the fanbase, knows how to move and would be in a position to do well." It plays well in a city that treats the team as part of its identity. But in our view it is a condition that commits him to nothing. There is no buyer from Naples in sight, so in practice it shuts the door on anyone who knocks.

The football question

One remark carries more weight than the rest. "I believe I know how to do football, even if I am going through a lot of difficulties," the president said.

The football on show right now belongs to a Napoli side that is ninth, with 10 points from seven games and nine behind Inter. Sporting director Giovanni Manna has just admitted that the squad needs to get younger, after more than €300m spent on transfer fees since May 2024. Knowing that the owner said no to €3.5bn tells us nothing about how he plans to fix this team.

That is the real issue. The club tied head coach Massimiliano Allegri's position to two tests. The first was Bodø/Glimt, beaten 4-3 on Tuesday 20 October with three goals conceded. The second is Roma, third on 17 points, at the Maradona on Saturday 24 October at 18:00 CET (17:00 UK, 12:00 ET).

The president has made it clear who is in charge. Now he needs to make clear what happens if Saturday goes badly.