OGC Nice establish shortlist to replace Brighton and Ajax target Francesco Farioli

OGC Nice are preparing for life post-Francesco Farioli. For several weeks, the Italian has been linked with a summer departure, amidst interest from Ajax, however, as reported by Ignazio Genuardi, Brighton & Hove Albion have since joined the race following an announcement that Roberto De Zerbi will leave the club at the end of the season.

Within this context, a list of replacements is being drawn up. This is not proving easy, with sporting director Florent Ghisolfi also touted to depart at the end of the season. According to Nice-Matin, Stade Rennais’ Florian Maurice and RC Strasbourg Alsace’s Loïc Désiré are being lined up to replace Ghisolfi and it may be their job to replace the outgoing Farioli. 

Didier Digard, who took the job on an interim basis last season, following Lucien Favre’s mid-season departure, is a name being considered. The Frenchman recently received his coaching badges. Bruno Génésio, who has been out of work since leaving Rennes earlier this season, is another option, as is Le Havre AC’s Luka Elsner, as per Le Parisien. The Franco-Slovenian manager has a particular attachment to Nice and Le Gym having grown up in the city whilst his father played for the club. 

Genuardi understands that Torino manager Ivan Jurić is another name offered to Les Aiglons, whose managerial search could accelerate after the final day of the season. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle