De Laurentiis: Napoli Not for Sale, Would Prefer Local Buyer Over American

FolioPitch.com – 22 October 2026 | Aurelio De Laurentiis has moved to quash fresh speculation surrounding the future of SSC Napoli, declaring unequivocally that the Serie A club is not on the market. In a wide-ranging interview with Radio Kiss Kiss on Thursday, the Napoli president addressed reports of a new meeting with Italian-American businessman Matt Rizzetta, stating plainly: De Laurentiis Napoli not for sale I d prefer someone from Naples over an American. The comments came after Corriere dello Sport reported that De Laurentiis had met with Rizzetta, the majority stakeholder in Napoli Basket, reigniting talk of a potential takeover at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Rizzetta was in talks to acquire a majority stake in Napoli just a few months ago, as De Laurentiis himself confirmed in May, so the sight of the two men together again in Naples inevitably sparked a new wave of speculation. But the Napoli owner used his latest interview to clarify his position, insisting that no sale is in the works and that his priority remains the club he has run for more than two decades.

“Napoli are not for sale,” De Laurentiis said. “The Arabs offered me €3.5 billion, but I didn’t want to retire. I still know how to make movies, and football, which I knew nothing about. I learned it despite countless difficulties.” The reference to a €3.5 billion offer underlines the scale of interest in the Partenopei, yet De Laurentiis made clear that money alone is not enough to prise the club from his hands.

He went on to recount the background to Rizzetta’s approach. “About a year ago, I received a meeting request from Matt Rizzetta, whom I didn’t know. I replied out of courtesy. He introduced me to a couple of funds he represented that wanted to buy Napoli,” De Laurentiis explained. “This happened between February and March last year. We put their lawyers in touch with ours. We wanted to assess the proposal, including who was behind it, though we never actually began a due diligence process.”

According to De Laurentiis, the structure of the proposed deal was a key stumbling block. “They wanted to pay part of the €2 billion upon signing and the rest over the following three years. Initially, I was told I would continue running the club, gradually scaling back my role until I eventually became honorary president. I asked for guarantees that the work we had done over 22 years of running the business would continue. I felt a duty to Napoli fans around the world,” he said. “Money matters, but it comes last. Matt Rizzetta told me he had two or three funds behind him, but the €2 billion would have come in over the years, rather than all at once.”

De Laurentiis confirmed that he had recently met Rizzetta again, with the businessman spending the past few days in Naples. “I’m happy to host him. He hosted me in America to watch a basketball game,” he said. “When he brings up selling Napoli, I tell him not to get this soap opera going again. I want to build the stadium, and that will require a huge commitment, physically, too. He probably would have been happy with the Maradona. With a new stadium elsewhere, it would be wonderful to turn the Maradona site into a large park full of greenery.”

The Napoli president then returned to the theme that has become a recurring refrain in his public comments: the identity of any future owner. “For now, I haven’t decided to sell, but if I did, I would prefer to sell to someone from Naples rather than an American,” De Laurentiis said. “We all know who we’re dealing with on our own home turf. If someone from Naples wanted to take over from me in two, three, or five years, that would be fine. I have worked for 22 years for wonderful people.”

His latest remarks echo what he said in May, when he first revealed that offers had been made for the club. “The problem isn’t money,” he said at the time. “It’s whether a successor can lead with heart as well.” That sentiment was reinforced again on Thursday, with the phrase De Laurentiis Napoli not for sale I d prefer someone from Naples over an American capturing the essence of his stance. For now, the message from the Napoli president is clear: the club is not for sale, and if it ever is, local roots will matter more than the size of the cheque.

The clarification will come as a relief to Napoli supporters, who have grown accustomed to De Laurentiis’s leadership and the stability it has brought. Under his stewardship, the club has enjoyed a period of sustained success, culminating in the Serie A title in 2025. His commitment to building a new stadium and redeveloping the Maradona site suggests that he intends to remain at the helm for the foreseeable future, even as speculation about outside investment continues to swirl.

For Rizzetta, the door may not be entirely closed, but De Laurentiis’s preference for a local buyer is a significant hurdle. The Napoli owner has consistently emphasised the importance of heart and continuity over pure financial muscle, and his latest comments suggest that any future sale would be driven by those values rather than the highest bid. As the soap opera rumbles on, one thing is certain: De Laurentiis Napoli not for sale I d prefer someone from Naples over an American is a line that will define the narrative around the club for some time to come.

In conclusion, Aurelio De Laurentiis has once again made his position abundantly clear. Napoli is not for sale, and while he acknowledges the interest from foreign investors, he would rather see the club pass into the hands of someone with Neapolitan roots. For the fans, it is a reassuring message from a president who has spent 22 years building the club into a force in Italian football. Whether that stance softens in the years ahead remains to be seen, but for now, the future of Napoli lies firmly in the hands of its current owner.