In recent weeks, Napoli sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli has been identified as the favorite candidate to inherit Federico Cherubini’s role at Juventus.

Several sources believe that the 51-year-old already has an agreement in place with the Bianconeri, but the last obstacle remains negotiating his way out of the Southern Italian city, as his contract runs for another year.

According to Italian journalist Orazio Accomando, Giuntoli is trying everything possible to terminate his Napoli contract.

“It will be a rich market also in regards to sporting directors,” said the journalist in his appearance on DAZN via TuttoJuve.

“[Juventus CFO Francesco] Calvo underlined the need and importance of having a sporting director.

“That director has been identified in Cristiano Giuntoli who he is – from what we understand – doing everything possible to free himself from Napoli and sign his contract with Juventus. He already has an agreement in place with the Bianconeri.”

Accomando also believes that Giuntoli’s expected switch from Napoli to Juventus will spark a domino effect.

The Partenopei will be looking to replace Giuntoli by securing the services of Empoli sporting director Pietro Accardi.

For their part, the Tuscans could resort to Juventus Next Gen director Giovanni Manna who’s currently serving as interim sporting director with the first team.

“Napoli like Pietro Accardi, the sporting director who has done very well with Empoli in recent years. De Laurentiis likes him a lot.

“Then the role of sporting director at Empoli would remain vacant, and the Azzurri like Manna from Juventus. He has launched several youngsters with the Next Gen so we could see this triple interweaving on the market.”