• Grégory Lorenzi departs after ten years to join Olympique de Marseille
• Head coach Eric Roy demands guarantees about his future at the club
• Owners value the French side at €60 million in current market
• Club rose from Ligue 2 to the UEFA Champions League under Lorenzi’s guidance
• Brest have secured midtable finishes despite operating on limited funds

Stade Brestois face a period of major uncertainty. The Ligue 1 club has lost its sporting director following a decade of service. Grégory Lorenzi guided the team from the second tier to the UEFA Champions League during his time at the Stade Francis-Le Blé.

Lorenzi has now moved to Olympique de Marseille. He began his new role in the south of France earlier this week. His exit leaves a significant gap in the club’s leadership structure.

There are also doubts surrounding the future of head coach Eric Roy. When reporters questioned him about his position earlier this month, he avoided giving a clear answer. The manager stated that he requires specific guarantees before he can commit to remaining at the club.

According to journalist Romain Molina, the club is not hurrying to appoint a replacement for Lorenzi. This delay occurs because the owners wish to sell the team. Molina reports that the asking price stands at €60 million. This figure could discourage potential buyers from making an offer.

The club has performed well on a modest budget recently. They have maintained their position in the middle of the Ligue 1 table for the past two campaigns.

• Grégory Lorenzi joins Olympique de Marseille after spending ten years at Stade Brestois 29
• The 42-year-old replaces Medhi Benatia as the club’s sporting director
• Lorenzi had initially agreed to move to OGC Nice before Marseille intervened
• The French side will compete in the Europa League following a disappointing league campaign
• Current head coach Habib Beye faces an uncertain future at the Stade Vélodrome

Olympique de Marseille have confirmed Grégory Lorenzi as their new sporting director. The Ligue 1 club announced the appointment on Thursday.

Lorenzi leaves Stade Brestois 29 after a successful decade-long spell. During his time with the Breton club, he helped them rise from Ligue 2 to the Champions League.

The 42-year-old had originally planned to join OGC Nice. However, Marseille persuaded him to lead their sporting department instead.

Lorenzi now faces a major challenge at one of France’s most unstable clubs. Marseille finished outside the European qualification places and will play in the Europa League next season. They failed to secure a spot in the Champions League.

“OM are a historic club, very special, very popular, very exciting,” Lorenzi told L’Equipe. “We must find the right balance between our sporting goals and our economic reality.”

The future of head coach Habib Beye remains unclear. Reports suggest the former Newcastle United defender will leave the club. Marseille are reportedly targeting Bruno Genesio, who is departing Lille, as his replacement.

• OGC Nice are considering three candidates for their sporting director role
• The club faces a crucial relegation battle against AS Saint-Étienne this Friday
• Original target Grégory Lorenzi looks set to join Olympique de Marseille instead
• Former AC Milan technical director Geoffrey Moncada is now the leading candidate

OGC Nice are preparing to appoint a new sporting director. The Ligue 1 side have shortlisted three candidates for this key role.

The timing is critical. Nice face AS Saint-Étienne on Friday in a match they must win. Victory will secure their place in the top division next season.

The club originally wanted Grégory Lorenzi for the job. The former Stade Brestois director had agreed to replace Florian Maurice. But Lorenzi has now decided to join Olympique de Marseille instead. He is attempting to break his agreement with Nice. This situation has forced Marseille to delay their official announcement.

Nice must now consider other options. Geoffrey Moncada has emerged as the favourite. The Italian recently ended his time as technical director at AC Milan.

Two other candidates are under consideration. David Wantier serves as sporting director at AJ Auxerre. Bruno Cheyrou works for FIFA as a player development manager. He previously spent time at Olympique Lyonnais.

• Eric Roy refuses to confirm he will remain as Stade Brestois manager next season
• The French coach demands guarantees about the club’s financial stability and ambitions
• Sporting director Grégory Lorenzi is set to join Olympique de Marseille this summer
• Brest faces uncertainty with several players expected to leave the club

Eric Roy has refused to guarantee his future at Stade Brestois 29. The manager spoke to the media after the final match of the Ligue 1 campaign. He admitted he does not know if he will stay at the club.

Roy explained that he is currently under contract with the Breton side. However, he stressed that many things can change in football. “There is no reason for me not to be here, but lots of things can happen in life,” he stated.

The coach expressed a desire to continue his work at Brest. Yet he set clear conditions for his stay. Roy wants assurances regarding the club’s long-term stability and competitive budget. “My desire is to be here. I want to be here in conditions in which the club’s sustainability can be assured,” he said. He added, “If I’m told it isn’t possible, either because we don’t have the means… I am ambitious, too. I need positive signs somewhere.”

This season, Roy has often criticised the club’s transfer strategy. He has complained about the lack of funds for new players. Brest works with one of the smallest budgets in the French top flight. This problem looks set to continue.

Meanwhile, the club faces more changes. Grégory Lorenzi, the sporting director, will leave for Olympique de Marseille. This move is currently delayed by a small contract issue. Several first-team players are also expected to leave the club during the summer.

• Medhi Benatia will leave Olympique de Marseille when the current season ends
• Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad has shown strong interest in hiring him
• The Moroccan initially quit in February but returned to finish the campaign
• Grégory Lorenzi is set to replace Benatia at the French club
• Benatia is open to taking a sporting director role in Saudi Arabia

Medhi Benatia is preparing to exit Olympique de Marseille. The club’s American owner, Frank McCourt, has confirmed that the Moroccan will leave when the Ligue 1 campaign concludes.

The former defender first departed the club in February. He left at the same time as manager Roberto De Zerbi. Both men originally left by mutual consent. However, officials convinced Benatia to return. He came back to help the team complete the season.

Now Benatia wants a fresh challenge. Saudi Pro League giants Al-Ittihad have approached him. Famous transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed this interest. French media outlet RMC Sport reports that Benatia is receptive to the proposal. He favours a move to the Middle East.

Al-Ittihad wants Benatia to become their new sporting director. He would replace Ramon Planes if the Spaniard leaves his post. RMC Sport claims Benatia is the leading candidate for this position.

Marseille has already identified a successor. Grégory Lorenzi will join from Stade Brestois. He will take over as sporting director after the season finishes.

• Habib Beye is likely to manage his final game for Marseille against Rennes on Sunday
• The coach failed to secure Champions League football or reach the French Cup final
• Marseille currently sit sixth in the Ligue 1 standings with one match remaining
• New sporting director Grégory Lorenzi will arrive this summer and choose his own manager
• Beye only took charge in February after replacing Roberto De Zerbi

Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash between Olympique de Marseille and Stade Rennais is expected to mark the end of Habib Beye’s brief tenure as manager. According to reports from L’Équipe, the club has decided to part ways with the coach following a disappointing run of results.

Beye began the current campaign in charge of Rennes, but he lost that position in February. He swiftly returned to the dugout at Marseille, stepping in for Roberto De Zerbi. At the time of his appointment, the club held fourth place in the league table. The board gave him two clear objectives: secure a spot in next season’s UEFA Champions League and guide the team to the Coupe de France final.

However, the former Senegal international has fallen short on both counts. Marseille will not feature in Europe’s premier club competition next term. Although they could still qualify for the UEFA Europa League on the final day, the campaign is viewed as a failure. The team has slipped to sixth position in the domestic standings, and relations within the club have become strained.

Sources indicate that Grégory Lorenzi will assume the role of sporting director this summer. The incoming official wants to appoint his own manager to lead the squad. This decision effectively seals Beye’s fate, bringing his short spell at the Stade Vélodrome to a close.

• Grégory Lorenzi will depart Stade Brestois after a decade of service at the club.
• The sporting director helped Brest earn promotion to Ligue 1 in 2019 and guided them to their first-ever Champions League campaign this season.
• OGC Nice hold an agreement in principle for his services, though this depends on them avoiding relegation.
• Olympique de Marseille remain strong competitors for the Corsican executive’s signature.
• Premier League interest from Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest exists, but Lorenzi is expected to remain in France.

Stade Brestois have officially announced that sporting director Grégory Lorenzi will leave the club this summer. The French side confirmed the news on Friday, marking the end of a ten-year association with the influential executive.

Lorenzi joined Brest in 2015 and has overseen remarkable progress at the Brittany club. He played a crucial role in their return to Ligue 1 in 2019. This season, he helped guide the team to the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history. They achieved this milestone despite working with a very limited budget.

Club president Denis Le Saint spoke of “great emotion” when confirming the departure. He praised Lorenzi’s contributions to the club’s recent success. The announcement ends months of speculation about the director’s future.

Several clubs are now competing to secure his services. OGC Nice appear to be the frontrunners. According to local newspaper Nice-Matin, they have reached a preliminary agreement with Lorenzi. However, this deal is conditional on the club maintaining their top-flight status for next season.

Olympique de Marseille have also expressed strong interest in recent weeks. They are actively searching for a new sporting director and view Lorenzi as a top target. The prospect of moving closer to his native Corsica makes both southern French clubs attractive options.

English Premier League teams Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest have also made enquiries. Despite this interest from England, sources close to the situation expect Lorenzi to remain in Ligue 1. His departure represents a significant loss for Brest as they prepare for European football next term.

• Stade Brestois will lose their long-serving sporting director Grégory Lorenzi when the summer transfer window opens.
• OGC Nice looked set to secure his services, but the deal faces delays due to the club’s uncertain ownership situation.
• Olympique de Marseille have now entered the race to recruit Lorenzi as a replacement for Medhi Benatia.

Grégory Lorenzi is preparing to leave Stade Brestois after ten years with the French club. The Ligue 1 side expect to lose their highly-rated sporting director at the end of the current campaign.

Earlier this week, reports suggested that Lorenzi had agreed to join OGC Nice. The club from the south of France appeared to have beaten Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace to his signature. However, the move has hit complications.

Journalist Mohamed Toubache-Ter now claims that Lorenzi has not yet signed a contract with Nice. The deal depends on two key factors. Nice must first confirm their place in Ligue 1 for next season. They must also reach an agreement over the departure of current sporting director Florian Maurice.

The situation is further complicated by INEOS’s ongoing attempts to sell the club. This ownership uncertainty creates additional hesitation over the appointment.

Meanwhile, Olympique de Marseille have entered the fray. The southern giants are searching for a replacement for Medhi Benatia. They now hope to hijack Nice’s move and secure Lorenzi’s services instead.