Garcia talks Napoli transfer goals, Osimhen future and Kim departure

Napoli coach Rudi Garcia assured that Victor Osimhen ‘wants to stay’ with the club and touched on their plans for the summer transfer window.

The Partenopei have started their pre-season training camp in Dimaro, ready to start working towards the 2023-24 season, which kicks off next month.

Napoli have been a little quiet in the early stages of the summer transfer window, having lost sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli to Juventus. Kim Min-Jae is on the verge of being sold to Bayern Munich but other stars like Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are not expected to leave.

Speaking in a press conference via TMW, Garcia was first asked if he’d look to bring any of his old players to Napoli.

“Maxime Lopez, I gave him his debut, he has great personality. But he’s not someone who will join our team because he’s not the profile we’re looking for.”

He touched on the future of Osimhen.

“Of course I have spoken to him. I can assure you that he wants to stay, he is happy to be with us and still wants to do great things.”

The Napoli coach was asked about the resignation of athletic coach Francesco Sinatti.

“I offered him to stay with us, putting him on the same level with Rongoni, but after reflection he told me that he didn’t feel like staying and that he had no energy.

“It’s a shame, because I know there is quality at this club, there are people who know the players and can buy us time. But I respect his decision.”

Garcia discussed Napoli’s work to find a replacement for Kim.

“A coach wants to have a full squad as soon as possible, but that is a dream. We have time to find a new centre-back.

“The club has been working on it for a while, we have options, but we want to be as safe as possible. So, we evaluate. Then there is also the economic aspect. I’m in no hurry because I have three.”

He spoke about the mindset of the squad at the training camp.

“They are all attentive, all motivated, today there have already been a few duels and a good rhythm. It means they’re hungry.

“From the youngsters I expect it, they want to show me something. I can’t wait for the national team players to arrive and for us to be full.”

The coach touched on the future of Kvaratskhelia.

“I hope the two of them will continue to make a difference and help us win, but I am careful not to put too many individuals in front of the collective. Everyone is important here.”

Garcia discussed the team’s midfield goals in the transfer market.

“Ndombele has to be replaced. To play with us you also need some physicality, like Anguissa, and that is a characteristic we are looking for in the profile to replace Ndombele.”

He opened up about the tactical preparations in the pre-season retreat.

“There is a lot of intensity in training, preparation is decisive. Those who prepare well have a good season. When you play in the Champions League, after the September break you play every three days, so you have to do everything earlier from the preparation point of view.

“We also work on ball possession, high pressing, and especially immediate pressing after losing the ball. We work on that, and the players are used to playing like that.

“We have players who can do several things, not only play in the opponent’s half, but also on the counter-attacks. On set pieces and two or three other things we can improve.”

The French coach was asked about Piotr Zielinski’s contract situation.

“He’s under contract, like Lozano. They are expiring and so it’s logical for the club to make assessments: sell them or keep them. I would like to keep them all.

“Let me also take the time to talk to each of them, because there is what I want and also what the players want.

“Maybe some want to leave or want to stay at all costs, so what they say also counts. I definitely want to keep them all.”

He commented on his plans for Giacomo Raspadori.

“If I remember correctly you talk about a ‘0-0 response’, but now I’m telling the truth. When you see players you have your own idea, but you never know a player unless you coach him.

“Let me coach Raspadori and then I can respond on this issue. I have ideas, but they must be verified.”

Garcia discussed the concept of playing out from the back.

“I like building up from the back, but in a team there is also concreteness. Give me time because I still don’t know half the squad.

“Let me understand who the leaders are, to understand who I can lean on for readings during the game. There are players who have to guide the team.

“A good team can be seen when they lose a game they should have won, there you can see if you have a quality squad or not.”

He commented on the status of the players who were recently away on international duty.

“They will arrive next week. They won’t play the first friendly, but they’ll be at the second one. Time is a bit tight, we will have to focus on many things. The first thing is to get the players in good shape.”

The Napoli coach spoke about the number of missed penalties last season.

“I was talking about it with one of my collaborators who was here last year, and I was saying that some penalties were missed by the goalkeepers.

“He said that maybe now with the quality of the goalkeepers, who are taller, maybe it’s not just our problem. But it is right to work on it because the penalty is a technical gesture.

“The only thing you can never reproduce is the context: we don’t train in front of 50,000 people and with the pressure of the match. It has to be taken care of, as well as the penalties.”

Garcia discussed what Napoli’s Scudetto win means.

“Napoli won their third Scudetto 33 years after the second. In 2011 I won the title and the French Cup – after 52 years one and 55 the other – at Lille, so I know that winning in these conditions is wonderful.

“We are Italian champions, we have to show it on the pitch. I have to work right away on the players’ heads to maintain the level we had last year, a high level. I know what kind of performance they can have, last year they raised the bar, so I expect the bar to stay there.”

He spoke about the team’s objectives for the coming campaign.

“Napoli must play in the Champions League, that’s for sure. Napoli must be in the top four in the league every year. And then there’s the Champions League where I think last year the club’s historical record was reached with the quarter-finals, so even that is difficult to equal and surpass.

“I know what it’s like, I made the semi-finals with Lyon. Manchester City won the Champions League for the first time after 15 years of strong ownership and seven with the best coach in the world, Guardiola. This is to say that it is difficult, but I always play to win.”

Finally, Garcia was asked if he was happy to be at Napoli.

“When you’re in this world you change teams many times. The bad thing is leaving your affections, but the good thing is always finding new ones. And then you learn from these people.

“For me the spice of life is encounters, I hold on to many friends everywhere: in Lille, in Rome, in Dijon, everywhere. I’m happy to be at Napoli, I’m discovering a wonderful city.

“I already know that in Italy you eat well, there are beautiful landscapes, I like travelling a lot. I can’t wait to start the season and especially the premiere at the Maradona. But I’m already getting a taste here. I see the fans happy, and I like that.”