Le Guen quits at Lyon

Paul Le Guen announced on Monday that he is to step down as coach of newly-crowned Ligue 1 champions Lyon at the end of the season.

Les Gones clinched their fourth consecutive French title with a 2-1 win over Ajaccio at the weekend, but Le Guen, who has been strongly linked with a move to Paris Saint Germain, has decided to call it a day at Gerland after three years at the helm.

"I have decided not to extend my contract. I leave the club proud of what has been done," Le Guen said on Monday.

Le Guen was installed as the replacement for Jacques Santini, who left Lyon to take charge of the France national team in the summer of 2002 shortly after leading the club to their first-ever Ligue 1 title.

The Frenchman then steered Lyon to three more titles under his tenure, as Lyon became the undisputed dominant force in Le Championnat.

This season Lyon have cruised to the domestic championship with three matches to spare, but they crashed out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage to PSV Eindhoven after a penalty shoot-out.

"I want to thank the club, (president) Jean-Michel Aulas, the technical staff and the players who all allowed me to spend three exceptional years in Lyon," said Le Guen, who refused to be drawn on the PSG rumours but indicated that he will move back into coaching sooner rather than later.

"I don't know about that. The only thing that is certain is that I am not tired of football."

Both Le Guen and PSG have been playing down the speculation, which increased after Pierre Blayau - who had Le Guen under his command when he was president of Rennes between 1998 and 2000 - was named as the new supremo of the capital club last week.

"Paris St Germain refute that Paul Le Guen is about to join as general manager or to take up any other role with the capital club," PSG said in an official statement last week.