Rudi Garcia Napoli shocker – Spalletti replacement confirmed for 23/24

Rudi Garcia Napoli appointment confirmed: In a development that seemingly came out of nowhere, former Al Nassr, Lyon, Roma and Lille manager Rudi Garcia has become the new Napoli manager. He has signed the contract with club president Aurelio De Laurentiis, and is the official replacement for Luciano Spalletti, who left at the end of the 2022/23 season. 

Garcia was most recently in charge of Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia before being removed near the end of the season. He has now returned to Italy and will be taking charge of the Scudetto winners. 

Rudi Garcia Napoli shocker – Why has Spalletti been replaced? 

The main reason behind Luciano Spalletti being replaced is the strained relationship with the club’s president. In the 2022/23 season, he was able to guide the team to their third-ever Serie A title, while also putting up remarkable performances in the Champions League, making it to the quarter finals. 

But, the manager was not able to see eye to eye on the club’s future with De Luarentiis. As a result, he has decided to step away from football on the back of a very hectic season and spend more time with his family. 

Spalletti voluntarily walked away from the project, and has now been replaced by Garcia, who has experience managing in Italy in the past with Roma. Former PSG manager Christophe Galtier was rumoured as one of the concrete options to take the reins at Napoli, but Rudi Garcia has now been brought in against the flow of the rumours.

How has Rudi Garcia fared in the past? 

Garcia led Roma between 2013 and 2016, but was unable to guide them to any silverware during that time. In fact, his only trophies as a manager came in the 2010/11 season, when he won the French league and the League Cup with Lille – whom he also featured for as a player. 

The Frenchman has notably used a 4-2-3-1 formation on most occasions, and could implement a similar style of play when he comes to Napoli. The club is set for an important summer, where they will have to ensure that they are able to build on their success this season. And more importantly, maintain the free flowing attacking style of play that they have been associated with this past season. 

Can the new Napoli manager influence the transfer window? 

On the back of a remarkable season, Victor Osimhen and Kim Min Jae are likely to leave the club this summer if a good offer arrives for them. The defender has a release clause in his contract which is set to be triggered in the first 15 days of July, meaning he will likely not be there next season. 

The situation of Osimhen remains uncertain, as no club has put forth a formal bid as of yet. However, it is likely that the striker will be leaving as well, leaving Garcia with a difficult task of replacing two of the best players in the league. Considering Napoli’s tendency to not spend too much on transfers, it will be interesting to see how they navigate the transfer window and replace their key players ahead of an important season.