The Pablo Longoria-Medhi Benatia tandem is on all fronts ten days before the resumption of Ligue 1. Finally, the goalkeeper file seems to be completed, with the announced and imminent arrival of the Argentinian Geronimo Rulli from Ajax for a little over three million euros. A necessary reinforcement combined with the surprise recruitment of the young Dutch goalkeeper Jeffrey de Lange from the Go Ahead Eagles, ninth in the Eredivisie last season – due to Ruben Blanco’s injury.
That being done, the offensive sector still needs to be replenished as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaïla Sarr have set sail this off-season – not to mention the permanent transfer of Vitinha to Genoa. For the time being, only Mason Greenwood has come to strengthen the Olympian attack. Valentin Carboni, for his part, is expected to play more in the construction of the game like Amine Harit. But the Marseille management is working hard on three issues that are now priorities.
According to concordant information from transfer specialists Santi Aouna and Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have reopened the door to OM for Eddie Nketiah, after having already rejected two offers of around 20 million euros. The Gunners would be a little more reasonable in their demands, so much so that the ball would be in Pablo Longoria’s court – and incidentally that of the main shareholder Frank McCourt for the requested extension.
Moukoko, the best engaged
At the same time, Marseille have activated the Elye Wahi track, in difficulty at Lens since his transfer from Montpellier last summer. A contractual agreement already exists between the Provençal club and the French Espoirs international, who would ardently like to join the Phocaean city. But the Blood and Gold, lacking liquidity, would not be willing to let go for less than 35 million euros – when OM is currently offering 20 million euros, as part of a loan with an option to buy.
A priori, the Nketiah and Wahi files are in competition; the Youssoufa Moukoko file being independent of the first two. Here again, the Olympians would have a head start and a contractual deal already with the German-Cameroonian nugget of Borussia Dortmund. The German press mentions a price of 20 million euros for the 19-year-old will-o’-the-wisp under contract until 2026 with BvB. Finally, the track leading to Alexis Sanchez now looks like a dead end, the Chilean being about to commit to Udinese. Good news however for OM: Enzo Sternal, the jewel of the Marseille U19s, appreciated by Roberto De Zerbi, will extend his lease until 2027.
