Villas-Boas confirms new contract talks with Marseille

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 2 min read

Marseille head coach Andre Villas-Boas has confirmed that he has started talks over a fresh contract at the club.

Although OM infamously completed a 13-match losing sequence in the Champions League, they have largely flourished under the Portuguese.

He led them to a second-place finish in Ligue 1 last term. This term, they will overtake Paris Saint-Germain and go top if they win both their games in hand.

The style may not always have been there, but the substance has been impressive.

Villas-Boas’ deal is up at the end of the season and the former Porto, Chelsea and Tottenham boss says that talks have been opened regarding a fresh contract.

“Marseille president Pablo Longoria went to see my agents in Lisbon,” Villas-Boas confirmed to RMC. “They were also called up by the club, so that’s a good start. We’re starting to discuss it.”

Villas-Boas admits, however, that it could be complicated for an agreement to be reached.

“We’ll see, depending what happens to the OM project,” he said. “There’s a complicated financial situation because of Financial Fair Play, the health crisis and a TV channel that has decided not to pay us.

“Do I plan to stay at OM? Yes, I’ve never said otherwise.”

While OM continue to see Villas-Boas as their ideal man, despite fan discontent arising from their lacklustre European displays, there is scepticism as to whether they can tied him down.

Villas-Boas’ agent has already admitted that the Portuguese may only coach for a few more years before retiring.

He has had a varied career in the dugout, taking in big clubs such as Porto, Chelsea and Marseille, but also exploring some footballing outposts at Zenit St Petersburg and at Shanghai SIPG, where he coached for a couple of season.