Former Hellas Verona coach Igor Tudor has emerged as the leading candidate to take Rudi Garcia’s place as a Napoli manager. According to Alfredo Pedulla, Aurelio De Laurentiis has identified the Croatian tactician as a perfect candidate for the job after deciding to axe the Frenchman.
Garcia’s future at Napoli has been a subject of intense speculation since the beginning of the season. The reigning Serie A champions have endured a stuttering start to their Scudetto defense and are already eight points adrift of current pacesetters Juventus.
De Laurentiis has atypically been in a forgiving mood but seems to have finally run out of patience. Sunday’s disheartening 1-0 home defeat to relegation-threatened Empoli has been the final straw. The controversial Napoli chief is hellbent on relieving Garcia of his duties during the international break.
But a lack of reliable options in the market is a tricky part. Walter Mazzarri and Fabio Cannavaro have made De Laurentiis’ shortlist. However, Tudor is the front-runner. It’s said the Croatian has taken his time to assess the offer, forcing Napoli to postpone Garcia’s dismissal.
Tudor was at the helm of Olympique Marseille last season. Despite guiding Les Olympiens to a third-placed finish in Ligue 1, he parted with the club in the summer. His successor Marcelino is another name on the Napoli radar, but the Spaniard is close to taking charge of La Liga strugglers Villarreal.
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