Deschamps extends contract at Marseille

Didier Deschamps, 42, yesterday confirmed he will stay on as coach of French giants Marseille through next season and beyond after announcing he has extended his current deal by two years to 2014.

Speculation had surrounded Deschamps’s future with Marseille after he made comments in May which suggested he could move on if club bosses did not spell out their intentions for the coming seasons.

In recent weeks he was also linked with a move to Chelsea in the English Premier League and Roma in Italy’s Serie A.

However, the club indicated yesterday he was staying put to honour the final year of his contract and the former Marseille, Juventus and Chelsea midfielder then released a statement saying he had agreed a two-year extension.

“I have decided to continue my adventure with Olympique Marseille and to stay on for the long haul by extending my contract for two years,” Deschamps said.

“I now have a road map with the financial wherewithal so that from today I can prepare the most competitive team possible in a precise budgetary framework,” he explained.

Deschamps helped end the club’s 17-year wait for the league title in 2010 when Marseille were crowned champions for the first time since 1993.

Marseille failed to defend their crown in 2011, finishing second to northern side Lille.