Canadian businessman Jack Kachkar is in no hurry to make changes at Marseille if he buys the French soccer club.

"I don't have the intention of making changes, and I don't like making changes for the sake of it," Kachkar was quoted in Wednesday's edition of sports daily L'Equipe. "The timing would be bad. The club is in a positive phase and it's important to conserve that."

Kachkar is chairman and chief executive officer of pharmaceuticals company Inyx Inc., which employs 575 people in North America and Europe. Inyx has offices in Toronto.

Born in Syria, he obtained his medical degree in Budapest. He has run a number of medical companies out of Toronto.

Kachkar, who has property in the nearby town of Puyricard, said he has been a Marseille fan for many years.

"I have spent the last five summers in the south of France," Kachkar told L'Equipe. "I've long watched Marseille games. It's a big club with enormous potential and incredible fans."

Marseille is third in the first division with 33 points from 20 games — 17 points behind league leader Lyon — and Lens is second with 36. France winger Franck Ribery is likely to leave Marseille unless it qualifies for the Champions League next season.

Kachkar has provided financial guarantees and is willing to buy the 1993 European champions from owner Robert Louis-Dreyfus for about 100 million euros ($151.8 million Cdn), according to club president Pape Diouf.

Kachkar reportedly wants former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson to replace Albert Emon if the sale goes ahead. That appears unlikely until at least the end of the season.

"I have had no formal contact with Eriksson," Kachkar said. At one "accidental" meeting, Kachkar and Eriksson "spoke a lot about football in general." Kachkar did not elaborate.

Marseille director informs players

Club officials say the sale of the eight-time French champion would take about three to four weeks.

On Tuesday, Marseille's director Pape Diouf met with the players to inform them of the potential sale, and city Mayor Jean-Claude Gaudin appeared certain the deal would go through.

"Robert Louis-Dreyfus took the trouble of coming to see me himself to announce his departure, and to introduce me to his successor," Gaudin said Tuesday.

Kachkar told L'Equipe that he plans to soon meet the players.

Louis-Dreyfus has invested 219 million euros ($332.4 million Cdn) in the club, helping Marseille return to the first division in 1996 after it was relegated because of a match-fixing scandal.

However, no trophies followed, and Louis-Dreyfus reportedly lost patience.