All was serene at Napoli on Friday as under-fire coach Rudi Garcia insisted he was “calm” whereas the membership mentioned it was negotiating with striker Victor Osimhen in “utmost serenity”.
After the reigning Italian champions misplaced 3-1 at residence to Fiorentina earlier than the worldwide break to slide to fifth in Serie A, Italian media reported the membership was considering changing Garcia with former Tottenham boss Antonio Conte.
“I’m serene and calm,” mentioned Garcia at his press convention forward of the Serie A recreation at Verona on Saturday.
“After the match towards Fiorentina, I witnessed an absence of respect in direction of me. Nonetheless, there have been additionally journalists and followers who supported me,” mentioned the Frenchman, who took over from Luciano Spalletti in the summertime.
“What has been mentioned and written is exaggerated. I am not saying we have achieved the whole lot nicely, however we’ve not achieved the whole lot badly both.”
“What issues is my relationship with the membership that has supported me, with the president, with the managers and with my gamers,” the Frenchman mentioned.
The Italian media reported that membership president Aurelio de Laurentiis had met Conte, who had turned down the supply.
On Thursday, de Laurentiis gave Garcia a barbed vote of confidence.
“I informed Garcia straight within the eye: ‘Proceed doing what you are doing and don’t be concerned’,” he mentioned.
“Everybody makes errors, and I hope they do not occur once more”, he mentioned, earlier than including “In that case, he’ll have our assist”.
De Laurentiis mentioned he noticed Conte through the worldwide break however they had been previous mates who’ve “stored in contact”.
“The remaining is simply gossip designed to weaken whoever is in control of the staff for the time being, and that annoys me,” de Laurentiis mentioned.
On Friday, Napoli launched assertion saying they remained hopeful of extending Osimhen’s contract.
Di Laurentiis mentioned he obtained a number of big-money gives for the striker after the Nigerian completed final season as Serie A’s high scorer, however turned them down. On the identical time, the participant declined a proposal to increase his contract, which runs into 2025.
Relations with Napoli turned briefly bitter in September after the membership’s TikTok account mocked Osimhen for lacking a penalty.
After his agent threatened authorized motion, Osimhen reaffirmed his love for Naples on Instagram.
“The folks of Naples have proven me a lot love and kindness, and I can’t enable anybody to come back between us,” he wrote.
On Friday, the membership insisted there was no unhealthy blood.
“President De Laurentiis mentioned nothing detrimental about Victor,” mentioned the membership assertion.
“To learn that there’s frost between Osimhen and Napoli is completely misplaced.”
Osimhen, who has scored six instances this season, injured a hamstring on worldwide obligation. The assertion mentioned De Laurentiis hoped to show this to his benefit.
“Within the coming weeks, aided by the truth that Victor must stay stationary for rehabilitation, De Laurentiis, Osimhen and his agent Roberto Calenda will meet to speak concerning the future, within the utmost serenity.”
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