Marcelo Bielsa to return to Marseille after sale of club, reports say

Marcelo Bielsa is expected to be announced as the new manager of Marseille after the club was sold to Gérard Lopez, according to reports in France.

France Football announced on Monday that a takeover deal had already been formalised and that an official announcement would be made this weekend, paving the way for Bielsa to make his return to the Stade Vélodrome. Bielsa previously managed the Ligue 1 club between 2014 and 2015 but walked out at the beginning of last season after one match, citing conflict with the owner, Margarita Louis-Dreyfus.

Bielsa became manager of Lazio in July, but resigned after two days in the job, leaving the Serie A club bemused. Lazio have since threatened legal action and appointed Simone Inzaghi in Bielsa’s place.

Marseille’s prospective owner Lopez, who is the current owner of the F1 team, Lotus, is a director of a first division club in his native Luxembourg, CS Fola Esch, where he played as a teenager. In the past he has also expressed a desire to buy the F1 team Renault.

Bielsa would return to a much-changed squad: Michy Batshuayi left for Chelsea for £33m; the goalkeeper Steve Mandanda left for Crystal Palace on a free transfer; and Tottenham have agreed a deal to sign the talented wide player Georges-Kévin Nkoudou for €11m (£9.53m), with Clinton Njie joining the French club on a season-long loan as part of the deal.