Sarri extension to come after the season

While Napoli hold multiple one-year contract options on Maurizio Sarri's current one-year deal, there have still been reports and indications that they want to work out a longer-term deal with the club. While there's been much talk about coming to the negotiating table lately, it now sounds as though any potential extension will have to be worked out in the summer, as Sarri wants to make sure all focus is on Napoli's league campaign and efforts to tie up second place.

Sarri reportedly wants an improved contract with higher wages -- he's one of the lowest-paid managers in Serie A right now -- and without the nebulousness and lack of a meaningful guarantee that multiple one-year options has instead of several contracted years. On the strength of the season as a whole Sarri has certainly earned that kind of security, and it's hard to imagine Napoli denying them that -- though you can never quite tell with Aurelio De Laurentiis.

Still, despite the club's recent struggles, it's hard to deny that this season has been much more of a success than anything else. After Napoli failed so utterly at the end of last season under Rafa Benitez, few expected much of anything under the relatively unheralded Sarri, even if he was a native son of Naples. After all, he had but one year of Serie A experience with Empoli, having spent most of his managerial career in the lower divisions. Despite that, Sarri lead Napoli to a season that saw them sit atop the league for much of the year, and except for their rough start to the campaign, Napoli have been a constant challenger near the top of the table.

Don't be surprised if we hear about the first of Sarri's one-year options being triggered by Napoli soon despite extension negotiations being on the horizon -- the deadline to trigger that option is coming up, and the club will want to have that as a fallback in case the extension talks don't go as planned. Regardless of that, it will be good to see the club reward Sarri's work with a deal that works better for everyone. Get it done, folks. He deserves it.