Former Chelsea striker Demba Ba has stepped down as sporting director of Ligue 1 side Le Havre just four months after assuming the role.

According to L’Équipe, the former Senegal international decided to walk away from the Normandy club in response to escalating internal instability.

Ba’s sudden exit comes directly on the heels of head coach Didier Digard’s dismissal. Digard was relieved of his duties following a heavy 5–1 home defeat against Paris Saint-Germain over the weekend, a result that proved to be the breaking point for the club’s board.

The crushing defeat against the French champions extended a dismal start to the campaign for Le Havre. The club remains rooted to the bottom of the Ligue 1 table, having managed to secure just two points from their opening nine league fixtures.

The fallout from Digard’s firing quickly spilled into the executive suite, with club president Jean-Michel Roussier also resigning in protest over the manager’s dismissal. Roussier’s departure alongside Ba has plunged the historic club into a full-blown leadership crisis.

Le Havre’s ownership group, Blue Crow, now faces an uphill battle to restructure the club’s sporting and executive leadership while simultaneously taking urgent action to save their troubled season from relegation.