During the 2024 summer transfer window, Olympique de Marseille secured the services of Pierre-Emile Højbjerg in the form of a loan with an option to purchase. An unexpected recruitment to say the least from the Marseille club, as no rumor had suggested that the Danish midfielder could leave Tottenham to join the ranks of Ciel et Blanc.
Podcast guest Business of SportsMarseille President Pablo Longoria went behind the scenes of this operation. The Olympian leader notably detailed the contours of the file and the arguments of the Marseille staff to convince the former member of Bayern Munich.
OM's strategy
“How do OM manage to position themselves on a player like Hojbjerg? I think when you get mature in your career you want to play the Champions League every year, that's point number one for a player like Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. We are therefore selling a project which is based on patience, the love of football, being in a different environment, and the desire to play the Champions League every season. When you come of age in your career, you're not just looking for a career path. You think about how to stay stable at the highest level, how to feel emotions, how to feel important in a project”explained the boss of OM.
“Pierre, for example, has natural leadership. I think it automatically fit with the atmosphere, especially since he speaks French and played with our sporting director Medhi Benatia at Bayern. It was like a perfect blend. And at the same time, you're entering a market where, because of age, no one is going to invest in players. Pierre was born in 1995, we invested in him when he was 29 years old. Am I worried about its resale value? No, because I want to ensure sporting results”concluded Longoria. As a reminder, the French vice-champion definitively exercised the purchase option of 13.5 million euros for Højbjerg this summer, binding him to the club until June 2028.
