MARSEILLE: Olym­pique de Marseille manager Igor Tudor will vacate his role at the end of the season, the Ligue 1 club’s president Pablo Longoria said on Thursday.

Former Croatia international Tudor, who has previously managed Hajduk Split, PAOK, Galatasaray, Udinese and Hellas Verona among other clubs, signed a two-year contract with Marseille in July 2022, replacing Jorge Sampaoli.

The 45-year-old led Marseille to a third-placed finish in Ligue 1 behind champions Paris St Germain and RC Lens. Marseille play their last league game of the season at Ajaccio on Saturday.

“We have respected Igor Tudor’s wish not to continue with the club. Now it’s his turn to communicate. On a personal note, and on behalf of the club, I’d like to say thank you for the work you’ve done, with a great deal of respect,” Longoria told reporters.

The Croatian manager said he had not signed for another club.

“On a personal level, I have grown. I leave the club in a better situation in which I had found it. I am leaving for private and professional reasons. I did not sign with another club. I’m not angry with anyone,” Tudor said.

“We played some great football, which thrilled the fans and was much appreciated. We’ve managed to instil a culture of high standards, which is very important at a club.

“We’ve got the right foundations for the future and I hope that in the short term we’ll see OM back where they belong, with a host of trophies.”

Published in Dawn, June 2nd, 2023