Napoli sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli wanted by new West Ham United owners after summer takeover
Napoli sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli is wanted by the new West Ham owners in the summer to spearhead their new era, according to Calcio Mercato.
The Italian has helped build the squad that Luciano Spalletti currently has flying high at the top of Serie A, nine points clear of reigning champions AC Milan.
His work is seen as so “extraordinary” that despite having a contract until the summer of 2024 he is attracting interest from clubs such as Juventus who want him to emulate that success elsewhere, although a Napoli extension hasn’t been ruled out.
That includes “strong interest” from West Ham, although not from David Sullivan but the expected new owners who are reportedly due to be in charge for next season.
They want him to build a side combining youth and experience to replicate the work Giuntoli has done at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
The report does not specify who the new owners will be, but following the death of David Gold The Times reported on 3 January that a takeover by current minority shareholder Daniel Kretinsky was expected to speed up.
Ambitious
Considering the Hammers are currently languishing in the middle of a relegation battle in the Premier League despite a major summer spend, the prospect of a dynamic side running away at the top of the table sounds like fantasy.
But with major changes expected at the London Stadium in the near future it looks like plans are being made with regards to the football side of things already.
Giuntoli has done impressive work in bringing together a squad that includes the likes of big-money star striker Victor Osimhen and Georgian prodigy Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, as well as previous West Ham targets Piotr Zielinsky and Hirving Lozano.
Getting the management structure right is a route to long-term success for the Irons and if the 50-year-old could be brought in that might be the key.
With the January window already seeing money spent on top of what was a record spend for West Ham in the summer, there is clearly heightened ambition around the club already.
And if a key director from Napoli could be poached at this stage it might set the stage for a new era that pushes to the next level, but before that the club needs to make absolutely sure of its status in the Premier League or any such plans will be scuppered immediately.