Napoli considers Conte, and Galtier as Garcia’s replacement

 Italian Serie A defending champion Napoli are considering firing their new manager Rudi Garcia.

They may have even contacted vastly experienced and widely traveled former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte and former PSG manager Christophe Galtier.

According to RMC Sport in France, Napoli have contacted CGaltier after summer negotiations and are giving Garcia just four games to turn things around or face the sack.

The Partenopei won their first Scudetto in over 30 years but lost coach Luciano Spalletti and thought he could be easily replaced.

That has not quite worked out yet, as the season kicked off with dismal results including two points from the last three Serie A matches and an own goal giving them a Champions League victory away to SC Braga.

Victor Osimhen and Kvicha Kvaratskhelia have both made big shows of their dissent at being substituted, while the fans are calling for Garcia to be axed.

Now RMC Sport claim that president Aurelio De Laurentiis is back in contact with Galtier to discuss potentially taking the reins from Garcia if the situation does not improve within the next four matches.

Galtier had been on the shortlist for the job before Garcia was hired over the summer, having been dismissed by Paris Saint-Germain.

He has also been linked with struggling Olympique Marseille and for now, it is only an exploratory approach from Napoli, but they had already been in talks a few months ago.

Conte has also emerged among the Partenopei brass. However, Conte is reportedly not convinced of the structure established at the club, especially with the team hooked onto the 4-3-3 formation. The ex-Inter tactician is a huge follower of using a three-man defense in a 3-5-2 setting.

The Lecce-born manager has never shunned away talk of coaching Napoli one day, most recently telling Neapolitan journalist Paolo Esposito: “I assure you that I would go there on foot, it is an important team and a beautiful city. Then again, I am from the South.” (via Calciomercato)

There is no issue with shaking

up the formation in the event of Garcia’s departure, but it is highly unlikely De Laurentiis will take such a drastic step, especially so early in the season.

Apart from Conte, several other names have also been linked to Napoli, including ex-Marseille coaches Igor Tudor and Marcelino, Zinedine Zidane, and Marcelo Gallardo.