Marseille have reached a verbal agreement to appoint Jorge Sampaoli as the club’s first team coach, according to various reports.

The Argentinean coach, who is currently in charge of Atletico Mineiro, is expected to take the reins of the Ligue 1 side in early March, at the conclusion of the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A season.

However, Sampaoli could be in the south of France as early as Friday to sign a contract expected to run until June 2023.

Ernesto Valverde and Maurizio Sarri allegedly turned down offers to replace Andre Villas-Boas at the helm of Marseille, resulting in the club’s Head of Football, Pablo Longoria, to approach Sampaoli.

The former Sevilla coach received a red card on Sunday after entering the field in Atletico Mineiro’s 3-2 win over Sporting Recife.

Marseille currently sit seventh in the Ligue 1 standings, picking just ten points from ten league outings since the turn of the year.