Lorient step up move for Demba Ba as director of football | OneFootball

Lorient are working on appointing Demba Ba as director of football, with the former Chelsea striker emerging as a leading candidate.

According to L'Équipe, the summer market for sporting directors in France will be intense, with Marseille, Nice, Brest and Lorient all affected. Black Knight have progressed on two or three profiles, and in recent days Ba has come to the fore.

Ba, 40, became Dunkerque’s delegated president in 2023 and has built a structure in the north that has caught the eye of English decision-makers.

That model focuses on spotting young talent such as Gessine Yassine, Nathan Skytta and Enzo Bardelli, developing them over two or three seasons, then selling. Dunkerque, who reached the promotion play-offs last year, is now viewed as a strong shop window. Despite a very small budget, the club secured around eight million including bonuses for Yassine.

Black Knight want an executive with a broad network who can align in parts with Bournemouth’s approach, and a defined, ambitious playing style. Ba’s appointments of Luis Castro then Albert Sanchez at Dunkerque fit that brief. The move, however, is not yet final.

Source: L'Équipe