Napoli manager Antonio Conte is under fire after prominent agent Mario Giuffredi launched a blistering attack, accusing the coach of 'shockingly ridiculous' decisions regarding the club's young talent. Speaking to Calcio Napoli 24, Giuffredi, who represents several key Napoli players including captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Matteo Politano, and promising youngsters Antonio Vergara, Luca Marianucci, and Giuseppe Ambrosino, expressed his profound frustration.
Napoli's squad has been plagued by injuries, sidelining crucial players like Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Alex Meret, and Billy Gilmour. This injury crisis has severely hampered their UEFA Champions League campaign and their Serie A title defense, with the Partenopei currently six points adrift of leaders Inter and precariously placed in the Champions League qualification race. Despite these challenges, Giuffredi claims Conte has failed to adequately utilize his deeper squad, with only 23-year-old Vergara getting significant minutes, including starts in the last two games. Marianucci, a 21-year-old centre-back, has made just two appearances, while striker Ambrosino, 22, has featured in five.
Giuffredi did not mince words, labeling Conte’s approach as "shockingly ridiculous" and contrasting it with other Serie A managers who are integrating youth. "I will not let myself be mocked by him," Giuffredi declared. "If Conte lacks the courage to use young players, that is not my problem. Allegri plays Bartesaghi at Milan, Bernasconi starts for both Juric and Palladino, and Francesco Pio Esposito plays regularly for Inter. Gasperini even picked a player born in 2009!"
He vehemently challenged Conte to clarify the status of Marianucci and Ambrosino: "Conte has to decide if Marianucci and Ambrosino are Napoli players. If they are, then he must have the courage to actually use them. That does not mean a few minutes every 10 years! Otherwise, just say they don’t belong at Napoli, and let them prove themselves elsewhere." The agent accused Conte of 'keeping them hostage,' revealing that loan agreements with Cremonese and Venezia were blocked. "If he keeps them here and then doesn’t even give them a minute on the field, then what is it for?"
Giuffredi further highlighted Vergara’s situation, noting that his breakthrough only occurred due to an injury crisis, despite interest from other Serie A clubs. "The only way to know if these players are fit for Napoli is to actually play them. I’ve never seen anyone make a career sitting on the bench, and I am not going to be taken for a ride," he asserted.
Antonio Vergara, a 23-year-old midfielder, has been with Napoli since he was 11. After loan spells with Pro Vercelli (Serie C) and Reggiana (Serie B), where a knee injury hampered his progress, he debuted for the Partenopei this season. Giuseppe Ambrosino, 22, is another academy product who joined in 2013. The striker has had multiple loan stints (Como, Cittadella, Catanzaro, Frosinone) before making his first-team debut this season. Luca Marianucci, 21, arrived from Empoli last season. Capable of playing centre-back or right-back, he made 18 Serie A appearances for Empoli.
Giuffredi's scathing remarks are more than a mere annoyance for the former Juventus and Chelsea boss. With a roster of clients at Napoli that includes the club captain, his words could signal deeper discontent within the squad. Coming on the heels of another disappointing European performance for Napoli, these public accusations pose a significant challenge for Conte as he attempts to steer the club through a turbulent period.
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