OFFICIAL: Marseille Appoint De Zerbi As New Manager

Marseille said last week that they had reached an agreement with the former Shakhtar Donetsk and Brighton and Hove Albion manager.

The 45-year-old has signed a three-year contract and joins a Marseille side who struggled last season before eventually finishing eighth in Ligue 1.

Revered for his work at the AMEX stadium, De Zerbi joined Brighton as a replacement for Graham Potter in September 2022 and led them to the Europa League for the first time in their history with a sixth place finish.

Last season, Brighton reached the round of 16 stage of the Europa League and finished 11th in the Premier League.

"I am very happy to sign with Olympique de Marseille," De Zerbi said. 

"I felt a strong desire to join this club.

"The history and prestige surrounding OM, the passion and fervour of its supporters, the seriousness and enthusiasm shown to me by Frank [McCourt, club owner], Pablo [Longoria, club president] and Medhi [Benatia, sporting director] were decisive in my decision to take on this exciting challenge.

"I can't wait to sit on the bench at the Orange Velodrome, this time as coach of OM, and help the club regain the rank that Marseille deserves."

Club owner McCourt said of the appointment: "I am delighted that Roberto is joining us at OM and that he shares our vision for the future of the club.

"Roberto understands the strength of the sporting project that Pablo is building and I am convinced that his passion and experience will contribute to enhancing the potential of the team and the club.

"His arrival marks the beginning of an ambitious new chapter and is an essential element of our strategy for the future success of OM."