Napoli have hired ex-Roma coach Rudi Garcia to replace Luciano Spalletti.
The Partenopei have announced the Frenchman’s appointment through their official website and social media with a brief statement.
“Aurelio De Laurentiis is pleased to announce that Rudi Garcia will be the new coach of Napoli.”
“To him the most sincere welcome and a good luck wish.”
The Serie A champions have not confirmed the length of Garcia’s contract.
The 59-year-old left Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr FC in April. He has Serie A experience having previously coached Roma between 2013 and 2016. The Giallorossi sacked him in January 2016, bringing in Spalletti.
This time around, the opposite happened, although the Certaldo-born coach was not sacked by Napoli and decided to walk out with a year left in his contract.
Garcia’s appointment ends Aurelio De Laurentiis’ long search for Spalletti’s successor. Reports in Italy and France claimed Thursday morning that another Frenchman, Christophe Galtier, was the leading candidate for the role.
Garcia won 61 of his 118 games in charge of Roma, drawing 34 and losing 23. He continued his career at Olympique Marseille, Lyon and Al-Nassr, where he spent the last season.
Typical Serie A
Always the cheap option. Their star players won’t be looking at this and thinking the club is being ambitious.
Squad could be downgraded if this is the best manager they can come up with.