Barely gone, already replaced! OM would be close to completing the arrival of the successor to Jorge Sampaoli who resigned this Friday. According to concordant sources in Italy, the choice of the management of the Marseille club would have fallen on Igor Tudor. The 44-year-old Croatian technician has been free since leaving Hellas Verona last May.
In fact, for a few days already, of the possible defection of Sampaoli, Pablo Longoria, the Olympian president, had anticipated and surveyed the market of coaches. He then showed a certain interest in Tudor, which was relatively unknown in France. “We have already started working on the sequel. We have conversations with candidates. We have a candidate in mind, it is the track that we will favor, “he said this Friday during the press briefing organized after the departure of El Pelado. He had told the truth. A verbal agreement has already been reached between the two parties on the basis of a two-year contract, with an optional third year. The Croatian would be expected, this Monday, in Marseille.
The former Juventus Turin defender, where he played 174 games between 1997 and 2007, led Hellas Verona to 9th place in Serie A in the 2021/22 season. He completed the exercise with the 5th most prolific attack of Calcio tied with Atalanta. Head coach for the first time in 2013 of Hajduk Split, this follower of 3-4-2-1, has gained experience in several countries. After Croatia, Greece (Paok Salonika), Turkey (Karabükspor, Galatasaray) and Italy (Udinese), he should discover Ligue 1 with Marseille where his compatriot Duje Caleta-Car plays.
“It was a difficult decision, because in Verona I found a working environment and a group of fantastic players and men who allowed me to express myself to the best of my ability and create harmony for the club. , thanks to which we have obtained extraordinary results, said Tudor when discussing his departure from Hellas, where he had arrived after being Andrea Pirlo’s assistant at Juventus. I discussed with the president and we both agreed that all the conditions were not met to continue together. So it was only right that we part ways. »
His record comes down to a Croatian Cup won with Hajduk Split. Besides Tudor, the names of Marcelino and Roberto De Zerbi have also been circulating to replace Sampaoli. In the past, three Croatian coaches led OM. Tomislav Ivic twice, Luka Peruzovic and Josip Skoblar.