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Napoli ‘renews’ Stadio Diego Armando Maradona lease deal

Featured image credit: Gaetano Capaldo/CC BY 4.0/Edited for size

Italian Serie A football club Napoli has reportedly agreed a new five-year lease deal to continue playing at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

According to the Il Mattino newspaper, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has agreed to the renewal with the Municipality of Naples, which owns the stadium.

Napoli’s lease deal to play at the stadium is due to expire on June 30, and the new agreement would run until June 2028. The initial deal included the option of the five-year extension, which now appears to have been exercised.

Last month, Il Mattino reported that Naples had placed the stadium up for sale and is seeking an investor that can oversee any future renovation of the venue.

The report claimed that De Laurentiis could make an offer to buy the stadium, with Mayor of Naples Gaetano Manfredi having said that the facility requires “extensive and profound restructuring”.

The Municipality of Naples approved the renaming of the stadium in honour of Diego Maradona after the death of the Napoli and Argentina legend in November 2020. Maradona helped propel Napoli to two Serie A titles during a seven-year spell from 1984 to 1991.

Last season saw Napoli win Serie A for the first time since Maradona’s spell at the club. Stadio Diego Armando Maradona hosted a special screening of the title-clinching game, with giant screens installed along the perimeter of the pitch.