Marseille confirms De Zerbi on three-year deal
Ligue 1 club Marseille has finally confirmed the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as its new head coach.
It was announced last week that the club had agreed a deal in principle with the Italian, before confirming the former Brighton and Hove Albion coach has signed a three-year contract this weekend.
De Zerbi told the club's official website: "I'm delighted to be joining Olympique de Marseille, as I had a very strong desire to join the club.
"The history and prestige that surround OM, the passion and fervour of its supporters, and the seriousness and enthusiasm shown to me by Frank [McCourt], Pablo [Longoria] and Medhi [Banatia] were all decisive factors in my decision to embark on this exciting challenge.
"I can't wait to sit on the bench at the Orange Velodrome, this time as OM coach, and help the club regain the position that Marseille deserves."
De Zerbi, whose shock departure from the Seagulls was announced the day before the end of the 2023-2024 season, led them to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League after taking over from Graham Potter in 2022, securing European football for the first time in the club's history.
Brighton topped its UEFA Europa League group, beating Marseille in the process, but were knocked was by Roma in the Round of 16 before slumping to an 11th-place finish in the league.
The French side, meanwhile, went through three managers last season, with Jean-Louis Gasset overseeing the end of the campaign as Marseille finished eighth in Ligue 1, outside the European places.