Share

Sarri hints at Napoli exit amid Chelsea links

Milan - Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri hinted Sunday that he was set to exit the Serie A club after finishing runner-ups for the second time in his three seasons behind Juventus.

The 59-year-old former banker has been linked with Chelsea to replace fellow Italian Antonio Conte whose future at the English Premier League club remains uncertain.

When asked about Sarri's future, club president Aurelio De Laurentiis said: "Will Sarri remain? I don't know, time has run out."

Fans held up flags with "Sarri, stay with us!" as Napoli ended their record-breaking season with a 2-1 win that condemned Crotone to second-tier football next season.

"In life everything comes to an end," said Sarri after the match. "Sometimes it's better to finish stories while they are good.

"When I arrived, the team had finished 24 points off the top. Now, we are four points behind," added Sarri who joined Napoli in 2015 from Empoli.

"We have not reached the target, but the journey has been fantastic."

Lorenzo Insigne orchestrated both Napoli goals for Arkadiusz Milik and Jose Callejon as the southerners finished on a record 91 points for the season -- four behind champions Juventus.

"Tomorrow I will talk to my family before anyone else," Sarri continued. "The (club) president needs a response quickly."

Sarri did rule out going to another Italian club soon.

"I don't think I could go to another Italian team immediately. The memory of Napoli would be too strong."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1818 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1781 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1084 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 461 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 187 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 254 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE