The president of Napoli, Aurelio DeLaurentiis, confirmed that a meeting will be held in Geneva in the next few hours with Gianluigi Aponte and his family, owners of the MSC Crociere group. The main objective is to discuss the possible participation of MSC in the construction of the club's new stadium, located in the Kuwait Petroleum area. According to the sources, the proposal includes not only the granting of naming rights, with a potential "MSC Arena" or "MSC Stadium", but also a direct investment of over 600 million euros by the Aponte family for the construction of the facility.
DeLaurentiis and Aponte share a long friendship and professional relationship. MSC is already one of Napoli's main sponsors, with a contribution of 18 million euros for the current season, which remains in force until 2029 unless renewed. The meeting in Geneva, however, could also touch on the issue of the future sale of the club. The president has stated in the past that he has not yet decided to sell, but that, if it were to happen, he would prefer a sale to a Neapolitan owner. This position was reiterated in a recent interview, where he said he doesn't know if there is anyone who can repay his quarter-century efforts, but that if a suitable candidate emerges, he would consider it.
The Aponte family, with Neapolitan roots and considerable assets, could represent the ideal partner for an operation of this type. The president also recalled a meeting with Matt Rizzetta, during which a valuation of more than 2 billion euros was proposed for the sale of the club. However, the due diligence never occurred, leaving open the question of a possible sale. The interest of MSC, already involved as a sponsor, could turn into a deeper investment, contributing both to the infrastructure project and to the financial stability of Napoli.
In summary, the meeting in Geneva represents a crucial step in defining the future of Napoli. If MSC's investment proposal is accepted, the club could benefit from a new modern stadium and a solid financial partner. Conversely, if the issue of sale were to emerge, DeLaurentiis seems in favor of a sale to a local owner, thus maintaining the club's identity and tradition. The next step will be the outcome of the negotiation with the Aponte family and the definition of the operational details of the project.