Manager was ‘waiting for offer from Crystal Palace’ before taking other job

 

FC Nantes have received approval to appoint Claudio Ranieri as their new manager. Former Leicester City manager Ranieri turned 65 years of age in October, and there’s a ruling in French football which prevents appointments at that age.

It’s not a very strong ruling, and Nantes didn’t have too much trouble getting around it, and are now free to announce Ranieri as their new manager. That hasn’t happened yet, and French newspaper L’Equipe say it wasn’t only the age issue holding things up.

In their Wednesday edition, L’Equipe claim Ranieri was ‘waiting for an offer from Crystal Palace’, and stalled his commitment to Nantes, but it’s now thought that time has passed.

Taking over at Selhurst Park would have given Ranieri a quick return to the Premier League, but it would appear Crystal Palace haven’t been making efforts to tempt the manager, and certainly not serious efforts to appoint him.

Without the Crystal Palace option, FC Nantes became more attractive.