Olympique de Marseille have appointed former Senegal international Habib Beye as head coach until 2027, the Ligue 1 club announced on Thursday.
The 47-year-old replaces Roberto De Zerbi, who left the club last week.
In a statement, Marseille said Beye’s targets are to secure a top-three finish in Ligue 1 and win the Coupe de France to bring a trophy to the club’s supporters.
Beye, who earned 45 caps for Senegal, previously played for and captained Marseille. He made 174 appearances for the club between 2003 and 2007. He will take charge of his first match on Friday against Stade Brestois 29 in Ligue 1.
Sporting director Mehdi Benatia said the decision reflected the club’s desire to appoint a coach with strong leadership qualities to rebuild confidence after a difficult run of results.
Marseille are currently fourth in Ligue 1, five points behind Olympique Lyonnais, whom they face on 1 March. They also remain in the Coupe de France, with a quarter-final tie against Toulouse FC scheduled for 4 March.
The club’s American owner Frank McCourt recently rejected Benatia’s offer to resign, saying he wanted him to remain in his role until the end of the season to meet the club’s sporting goals.
