De Laurentiis could hand Mazzarri control

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis says he may hand coach Walter Mazzarri more control over the San Paolo club.

Di Laurentiis said the pair have discussed the possibility of the former Sampdoria boss taking on a more managerial role with Napoli, similar to the kind of job Sir Alex Ferguson has with Manchester United.

“It would not displease Mazzarri to become involved in the interests of the club beyond the role of coach,” De Laurentiis told Corriere dello Sport.

“If this were to happen, together we could choose a coach who could give continuity to his work.”

With that in mind, De Laurentiis said Mazzarri is likely to extend his stay in Naples.

“Mazzarri will remain beyond June 2013? Why not? He does not have any issues with continuing and I have also worked in film industry for 10 years with the same people,” the president said.

“I like Mazzarri as a person, because he is cold-blood like me, a hard worker and a morally impenetrable man.”

Meanwhile, De Laurentiis insisted he has no intention of selling star Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani to Paris Saint-Germain, and said Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marek Hamsik are also not for sale.

“To buy our players is difficult for everyone, including the sheiks,” he said. “Those three (Cavani, Lavezzi and Hamsik) are our jewels, and I’m not a jeweller, but an entrepreneur.”

“Cavani was offered by his agent to PSG? I’ve always said that the evil in football are the agents.”

“It’s necessary to define their role because they cannot go around offering players that are under contract.”

“(As for) Lavezzi, (Inter Milan president Massimo) Moratti asked me about him two seasons ago, but I told him I would not sell.”

Napoli are sixth in Serie A and next month take on Chelsea in the last 16 of the Champions League.