Paulo Fonseca has left Lille to be replaced by Bruno Genesio, ahead of his expected appointment as Milan head coach.

Fonseca joined Lille in 2022, having previously enjoyed spells with Porto, Braga, Shakhtar Donetsk and Roma.

He led them to a fifth-place Ligue 1 finish in 2022-23 then improved on that achievement by taking them into the top four last term, ensuring Champions League qualification.

However, he had been expected to leave the Stade Pierre-Mauroy and return to Serie A, with Milan reportedly hoping to appoint him as Stefano Pioli's successor.

That move appears closer after Lille announced the departure of their Portuguese coach on Wednesday, immediately naming former Lyon and Rennes boss Bruno Genesio as his replacement.

In a statement, Lille president Olivier Letang said: "It is a great pleasure to make the arrival of Bruno Genesio official.

"He has achieved positive results with all the teams he has coached. His vision, his working methodology and his management are totally in line with what we want.

"Bruno will allow us to continue the work we have started over the past two seasons, whether in terms of the game we have put in place, the ambition and our desire to always perform, the development of young talents, or more generally the evolution of LOSC."

Genesio was named Ligue 1 Manager of the Year in 2021-22, when his Rennes side finished fourth in Ligue 1 and scored 82 goals in 38 games.