LORIENT, France (AP) — French league club Lorient hired Alexandre Dujeux as its new coach on Tuesday to replace Olivier Pantaloni.

Lorient said in a statement that Dujeux signed for the next two seasons, plus an optional additional year.

Dujeux was in charge of Angers from March 2023, leading the club back to Ligue 1 at the end of the 2023-24 season.

A former defender, Dujeux played more than 400 professional matches in France for Red Star, Chateauroux, Le Havre, Troyes, Ajaccio, and Tours. He then managed 127 matches at Angers.

“We want to play effective and ambitious football, driven by a strong collective identity,” Dujeux said.

Lorient had announced earlier this season that Pantaloni had declined a contract extension. Appointed in 2024 following relegation, Pantaloni immediately helped Lorient back to the top tier. Lorient finished 10th in Ligue 1 last season, and Angers 13th.

Black Knight Football Club group became Lorient’s sole shareholder in January. The Black Knight consortium fronted by American businessman Bill Foley, which owns the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL, had acquired a minority ownership interest in Lorient in January 2023 as part of its multi-club ownership strategy.

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