Having been without a club since his dismissal from Southampton last November, Will Still remains a sought-after figure in France. The Belgian-British coach is being tracked by a Ligue 1 club.
What if Will Still were to return to Ligue 1 this time? Several months ago, the Belgian-British coach had spoken of his desire to return to coaching in France. “My aim is to return to France, and I’m keeping my options open. I just want it to be the right project with the right people. Nor am I in a rush to take on something straight away just for the sake of doing something. I want to take the time to do things properly,” he said on the CFC programme in January.
He was indeed in no hurry: although linked with Nantes, the former Reims and Lens manager ultimately turned down the Canaries’ approach, feeling that the conditions weren’t right for him. “It wasn’t the ideal timing. I wanted to bring in a coaching staff, people, including my brother. I didn’t want to throw myself into something where I didn’t know the situation, where I didn’t have control over everything,” he added.
Lorient are targeting Will Still
Three months have passed since then, and Still could find Ligue 1 knocking on his door once again. As revealed by the newspaper L’Équipe, the 30-year-old’s profile has caught the eye of Lorient’s top brass. The Breton club will need to fill the void left by Olivier Pantaloni, with whom no agreement could be reached regarding a contract extension.
Spotted by sporting director Laurent Koscielny, backed by a representative of the new majority shareholder, BKFC, Will Still ticks many boxes. He is reportedly highly regarded by the new owners, who see him as a coach capable of developing young players and giving his team a clear playing identity. This is the primary objective of the decision-makers. L’Équipe notes, however, that the search process is still in its early stages. Watch this space.
OM: Youngster Bilal Nadir set to leave this summer!
With his contract due to expire next June and negotiations over a potential extension appearing to have stalled, Bilal Nadir – who has fallen out of favour with Habib Beye – is heading more than ever towards a departure from Olympique de Marseille.
He was long touted as one of Olympique de Marseille’s great prospects. Yet his time in Marseille has ultimately turned into a nightmare. Having arrived in Marseille in July 2023 after coming through the ranks at OGC Nice’s academy, Bilal Nadir now finds himself at a crossroads. Brilliant in flashes and adored by many regulars at the Orange Vélodrome, the Franco-Moroccan is now seeing his love affair with OM come to an end.
His momentum cut short by a serious injury (cruciate ligament), the 22-year-old attacking midfielder has never really recovered since. And the reality of the 2025–2026 season is stark. Whether under Roberto De Zerbi – to a lesser extent – but especially with Habib Beye on the Olympique bench, Marseille’s number 26 has been granted only a few minutes of playing time. The result? 19 appearances in Ligue 1, 4 assists but only 557 minutes on the pitch. What else? 8 matches played between the Champions League and the Coupe de France. A record far too meagre for a player aspiring to a bright future.
Nadir is heading for a free transfer
Left out of the squad for the matches against Lyon, Auxerre and then Toulouse, Nadir has, in fact, played just four minutes in Ligue 1 since 20 February. These figures confirm that his future now seems set to lie far from La Canebière. With his contract due to expire next June, the 1.79m-tall left-footed player has still not extended his deal and, at the time of writing, a free transfer seems increasingly likely. Whilst rumours are currently circulating about interest from Spanish, English and French clubs, his profile nevertheless remains a very attractive prospect on the transfer market.
Technically gifted, with excellent vision and a certain grit, Nadir has, in fact, often proven in the past that he can be that special player, capable of making the difference with a single pass. Although he is unlikely to be a key player in the run-in – Marseille are currently battling for third place, which would secure direct qualification for next season’s Champions League – Bilal Nadir is already preparing for a busy summer, with a crucial decision to make regarding the next stage of his career. Interested parties take note.
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