Habib Beye is Medhi Benatia’s preferred choice for OM, Rennes exit still to settle | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, Medhi Benatia has made Habib Beye his preferred candidate to replace Roberto De Zerbi at OM, but Beye must still finalise his exit from Rennes.

Caretaker Pancho Abardonado will front Friday afternoon’s pre-match press conference at La Commanderie before a Saturday meeting with Strasbourg. He previously led a two-match interim in September 2023 and now runs the team with reserve coach Romain Ferrier, aware his remit is short-term.

Benatia admires Beye’s profile. The 48-year-old played for OM from 2003 to 2007 and has said the club means more to him than any other, that he captained it and would answer any call without delay.

Benatia was due to meet Beye in Paris on Thursday, while the coach continues to negotiate his Rennes departure, which is close to being finalised. That helps explain the lack of an announcement, and the OM post appears to be heading his way.

While Benatia is steering the search, he has also left uncertainty over his own future beyond this season, tired of the criticism. President Pablo Longoria has kept a low profile but held a crisis meeting on Thursday morning with chief executive Alessandro Antonello, Alban Juster and Maxime Quinart.

Source: L'Équipe