Andre Villas-Boas offers resignation at Marseille after Olivier Ntcham signed over him

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AFP via Getty Images
Alex Young @alexwsyoung2 February 2021

Olympique de Marseille coach Andre Villas-Boas on Tuesday offered his resignation after the Ligue 1 club signed Olivier Ntcham from Celtic without his approval.

Villas-Boas has previously confirmed plans to leave the club at the end of the season and told reporters on Tuesday morning that he was waiting for a response from the board over today’s resignation.

It is the latest incident at the club after a dramatic weekend which saw fans break into the club's training centre amid protests against president Jacques-Henri Eyraud.

Marseille signed Ntcham from Celtic in the final hours of Monday’s January transfer window, despite, Villas-Boas says, the manager rejecting the idea when it was initially proposed.

"It was not a decision that I took," he told reporters of Ntcham signing. "It was specifically a player that I said no to. I was not aware of it, I learned of the signing when I woke up and went on the number one Marseille website.

"I offered my resignation through saying that I was not in agreement with the sporting strategy. The board has not yet given me feedback. I do not want money, I just want to leave.

"This club has already experienced two or three years of randomness in terms of its transfers and I cannot accept that."

He added: "Even the departure of Nemanja (Radonjic, who joined Hertha Berlin on loan), I was informed in the evening... I am waiting for a response from the board, and if it is a no, we will continue.

“I simply want to leave. I want to be clear with you.”

Marseille, who were knocked out in the group stage of the Champions League, are ninth in Ligue 1, 16 points behind leaders Lille with two games in hand.

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