Gerard Lopez enters into exclusive talks to buy Lille
Former F1 Lotus Team owner Gerard Lopez has entered into exclusive negotiations to buy Ligue 1 club Lille, the side have announced in an official press release.
Current owner Michel Seydoux had the following to say:
“For several years, I have not been looking for a buyer but a successor. This person had to have the vision, the capability and the project to enable Lille to continue to win titles. Discussions have been ongoing for several months. We are happy to enter into exclusive negotiations with Gérard Lopez, who has the perfect resumé to replace me at Lille.”
Gérard Lopez also commented on the announcement:
“Michel Seydoux has shown in recent months his great professionalism and an exemplary sense of confidentiality, without ever subsiding from his job as conductor who is doing everything for the club to win titles again.”
Gérard Lopez is a Luxembourg businessman who was in advanced negotiations with Marseille owner Margarita Louis Dreyfus to buy that club, but was ultimately pipped to it by Frank McCourt.
Marcelo Bielsa has visited Lille’s training facilities
According to our colleagues at Canal +, Argentinian and former Marseille manager Marcelo Bielsa visited Ligue 1 side Lille’s training facilities 3 weeks ago, as prospective owner Gérard Lopez looks to bring El Loco to Les Dogues.
Lopez had promised to bring Bielsa to Marseille before he was beaten to buying that particular French top flight club by Frank McCourt.
Now, Lopez looks to potentially bring Bielsa to Lille.
Lopez expects any deal to eventually buy Lille to go ahead around January time.
Jacques-Henri Eyraud becomes Marseille President
Marseille have confirmed that Jacques-Henri Eyraud has been appointed as the club’s new President, with immediate effect.
New owner Frank McCourt has picked Eyraud to take the club into a new direction.
The 48 year old is as a Harvard educated business and media man.
Official | Rudi Garcia appointed Olympique de Marseille boss
Ligue 1 side Olympique de Marseille have announced the appointment of Frenchman Rudi Garcia as manager with immediate effect.
Garcia will sign a 2.5 year contract with OM this afternoon after reaching a termination agreement with Serie A side AS Roma. Garcia was famously successful at Lille.
Garcia will have an unveiling press conference at 13:00 local time tomorrow, and will be on the touchline already on Sunday for Le Classique vs PSG.
Owner Frank McCourt had the following to say on the appointment:
“When I met Rudi, he immediately told me that he wanted to win the Champions League. I immediately knew that he was the man for the manager job at Olympique de Marseille. Rudi is a man with a great character with a lot of energy, we share the same vision for OM and the identical determination to put that into practice.”
“His qualities as a leader have been evidenced on multiple occasions. When he took Lille to victory in Ligue 1 and in the Coupe de France in 2010-11, during his management of Roma who fought for the top positions on the international scene during his first two years at the club, or when he won the title of Manager of the Year in France in 2011, 2013 and 2014. Rudi knows what is needed for a team to win, and for the entire city of Marseille, I cannot wait to watch his future success. Jacques-Henri and I welcome Rudi Garcia to OM.”
Andoni Zubizarreta the favourite for the Marseille Sporting Director role
According to La Provence, former Barcelona Sporting Director Andoni Zubizarreta is the favourite to take on a similar position at Ligue 1 club Olympique de Marseille.
Talks are underway between Zubizarreta and Marseille President Jacques-Henri Eyraud, as was earlier made clear by RTL this afternoon.
OM have moved for Zubizarreta after missing out on Luis Campos.
OGC Nice scout went to FC Nordsjaelland vs Bröndby IF
According to our colleagues at Foot 365, an OGC Nice scout was present at a Danish league encounter between FC Nordsjaelland and Bröndby IF last weekend.
The match occurred on Sunday and finished 1-1. It is believed that scout was present to watch Danish youth international attacker Marcus Ingvartsen, who is 20.
Karim Benzema & Djibril Cissé’s fate will be announced on the 16th December
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema and Djibril Cissé will have their fate announced by the Versailles Court no earlier than the 16th December on varying matters concerning the Mathieu Valbuena sex-tape affair.
Karim Benzema’s legal team attended a hearing this morning as they seek to have the case against him concerning his alleged complicity in the act of blackmail thrown out.
Djibril Cissé’s team also were in attendance today in a separate matter after the Marseille prosecutor moved to make a case to the Versailles court that the former Liverpool and SC Bastia striker should be charged with being complicit in the act of blackmail.
Neither individual will know their fate for another 2 months. Sources close to the case cited by the AFP suggest that there is a possibility that Cissé will now be charged with the aforementioned infringement of the law.