GOAL

Andre Villas-Boas has confirmed Morgan Sanson has been allowed to leave Marseille to join Aston Villa.

According to RMC, Marseille have accepted an offer worth €18 million (£16m/$22m) plus bonuses from the Premier League side and the midfielder will have a medical on Sunday or Monday before signing a contract.

The 26-year-old, who joined Marseille from Montpellier in 2017, was left out of the squad as his side lost 3-1 to Monaco in Ligue 1 on Saturday and the coach explained it was because he is on his way out.

"Sanson was not in the right mind to play, since the club decided to let him go," he said at a press conference. "I asked Morgan this morning if he had the mind to play, because the offer was on the table. Sadly he said: 'Mister, honestly this is hard and difficult for me'.

"I told him that I would leave him out of the game. Then he left the squad and the club allowed him to leave for Villa."

Marseille have now lost four matches in a row and will host Rennes, one of their rivals for a place in Europe next season, next week.

"There is no crisis because with the state of mind of the players we were good, they gave everything and were focused," Villas-Boas said. "Unfortunately it turned out badly. Every time we suffer a lot and lose confidence, but I think we will be okay because the attitude is still there, the group is solid and wants to win."

Marseille signed Arkadiusz Milik on loan from Napoli this week and the Polish striker came off the bench to play the last 30 minutes against Monaco. Milik had not featured at all for Napoli this season and Villas-Boas is aware he will need time to get back in shape.

"We don't want to take any risks because of his lack of rhythm, but we will have a week of work to prepare Rennes," he said. "I think we can get him in physical condition to have a little more playing time. That's the goal, to give him more and more playing time until he is 100 per cent."