Osimhen to team up with Ronaldo’s former coach as Napoli announce Rudi Garcia

Super Eagles forward Victor Osimhen is set to team up with Cristiano Ronaldo’s ex-coach at Al-Nassr, Rudi Garcia after Serie A side Napoli announced him as their next coach.

Garcia takes over from iconic head coach Luciano Spaletti, who helped Napoli win their first Scudetto in 33 years, after the Italian decided to take a sabbatical from the job ahead of the 2023/24 season.

Spalletti’s departure left a huge gap to fill in Napoli’s future, and the Partenopei are banking on the former Roma, Lille, and Al-Nassr man to lead them into a prosperous future.

Garcia was asked to leave his post as Al-Nassr manager after less than a year in charge, despite winning almost 70% of matches as head coach. 

The arrival of Ronaldo at the club meant a change in objectives for the Frenchman, and he fell short of the pace before the end of the 2022/23 Saudi Professional League season. 

The high point of Garcia’s managerial career so far was winning the 2010/11 league and cup double in his native France with a Lille side that included stars like Eden Hazard, Gervinho, Moussa Sow, and Yohan Cabaye. 

Having also played for Lille, albeit well after Garcia’s reign, Osimhen will have some common ground with his manager on which to build a successful relationship. 

This depends, of course, on if Osimhen decides to remain with Napoli as rumours continue to swirl about a potential summer exit.