Premier League cult hero leaves sporting director role at Ligue 1 club

Ba has left his sporting director role at Le Havre after the club's president and head coach were removed by American owners as the Ligue 1 side battles relegation.

Demba Ba has departed his position as sporting director at Le Havre following a management overhaul at the struggling Ligue 1 club. The American owners, Blue Crow Sports Group, sacked head coach Didier Digard and removed Ba from his role, prompting president Jean-Michel Roussier to resign. Ba, who grew up in Le Havre and took the job in summer with enthusiasm about the club's potential, has now decided to leave as the club descends into chaos at the bottom of the French top flight.

Ba had spoken highly of both Roussier and Digard when he joined, saying the president convinced him with his honesty and that he wouldn't have come without the manager. With a reported budget of around €2 million, Ba was attempting to rebuild the club's squad despite their dire league position. The former Senegal striker, who had a successful Premier League career with West Ham, Newcastle and Chelsea, has been pursuing a career in player recruitment and recruitment and is likely to continue seeking opportunities elsewhere.