Spanish coach Michel has been appointed by Marseille as the successor to Marcelo Bielsa.

Marseille did not confirm the length of the deal agreed with the 52-year-old former Spain international winger, who won 66 caps, but local newspaper La Provence reported he had signed a two-year contract at the Stade Velodrome.

Michel said: “I am very pleased. From the first contact I found the prospect of coaching this team exciting. I have been in touch with the president over the last 10 days but everything seems to have gone very quickly.

“This club has a great history and we want to keep writing it. I know it is a bit of a difficult time but I’m very proud to be the coach of this team. I like the squad.

“There are lots of talented players and young players. I want the players to be happy and enjoy playing for this team. I have seen their first two matches and four preseason friendlies. I know the squad very well.”

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OM had been thrown into chaos by Bielsa’s sudden resignation after their opening 1-0 defeat to Caen which was then followed by another 1-0 loss, this time to Reims, which has left them second-bottom in the table.

Michel was a star in the great Real Madrid team of the mid 1980s and early 1990s – which saw them win five successive league titles and two UEFA Cup trophies.

As a coach, he worked at Rayo Vallecano and took charge of the Real Madrid B team before leading Getafe to a best-ever sixth place in 2010. He had a disappointing spell at Sevilla but had a successful stint at Olympiakos, winning two Greek titles and a Greek Cup before being sacked earlier this year.

The news came on the same day the club sold winger Florian Thauvin to Newcastle United for €17 million (Dh68m), with attacking midfielder Remy Cabella heading in the opposite direction on a season-long loan.

“I am delighted to be a Newcastle United player,” said Thauvin, who has signed a contract until until 2020. “I have come from France to a really big club and am very happy to be here.”

Cabella, who was a star at Montpellier but failed to display his talents in the Premier League, said of his loan: “I’m going to show what I have learned in England.”