Laurent Blanc has resigned as coach of Ligue 1’s bottom club Lyon “by mutual consent,” the club said on Monday.
“Lyon and Laurent Blanc have decided, by mutual consent, to end their collaboration as of today,” the club stated in a press release.
“Lyon would like to thank Laurent Blanc and his staff for their commitment and professionalism over the past 11 months at the helm of the professional team.”
The announcement put an end to days of suspense, with a source close to Blanc telling AFP earlier on Tuesday, “It’s over.”
Lyon, who finished third last season, has started the current season with three losses and a tie, leaving them at the bottom of the standings. They also lost out on European participation for the second year in a row.
Blanc, who won the 1998 World Cup as a player and was in command of the national squad from 2010 to 2012, took over for Dutchman Peter Bosz in October 2022 and had a year left on his contract.
Jean-Francois Vulliez, one of Blanc’s assistants, will prepare the team for next Sunday’s Ligue 1 encounter against Le Havre, while Lyon’s new American owner John Textor searches for a successor.
Former Italian international midfielder Gennaro Gattuso, who has been out of work since leaving Valencia at the start of the year, and Oliver Glasner, who left Eintracht Frankfurt at the end of last season, have both been connected with the post.
Former Senegal international Habib Beye, who is presently in charge of Paris-based third-tier club Red Star, is also said to be in the running.
