Ex-Senegal and Chelsea striker Demba Ba named sporting director at French club

Former Senegal and Chelsea striker Demba Ba was named on Friday, June 19 as the new sporting director of French Ligue 1 club Le Havre.

The 41-year-old, whose playing career included high-profile stints in the English Premier League with West Ham, Newcastle, and Chelsea, arrives from Ligue 2 side Dunkerque, where he served for the past three years as deputy president.

Under his watch, Dunkerque established a reputation for smart recruitment and infrastructure development, navigating competitive campaigns with measured resources.

He succeeds Mathieu Bodmer, who walked out of Le Havre on the evening of the final matchday of the just-completed season.

Under Bodmer’s guidance, the Normandy-based club secured its survival in the top flight, finishing 14th in the table. Bodmer has since moved to third-division side Caen, which is owned by France national team captain Kylian Mbappe.

For Ba, the appointment marks a return to familiar territory, having spent part of his youth career playing in the local Normandy region. He steps into the role with the immediate challenge of rebuilding the squad for the upcoming campaign and establishing long-term sporting stability in Ligue 1.