"My time at the club has come to an end," Laudrup told a news conference today. "I'm making this announcement so that the club can have a chance to look for a replacement and in order to express my thanks to them for having given me this opportunity."

According to Laudrup's agent Bayram Tutumlu, Sevilla could be the favourites to win the race. "Spain is like a second home, his family are very happy here," he told a radio station. "If he stays it will have to be a team big enough for Michael. Sevilla is and why not? There are many countries interested. Galatasaray is crazy for him. They're calling me from Portugal, Russia and England."