Barely officially inducted, Stéphane Richard, the new president of OM, wanted to affirm a necessary break with the excesses of the previous management team embodied by Pablo Longoria. No more spectacular transfers and permanent turnover, make way for reasonable and reasoned management. Without losing all ambition. A balance that is not easy to find.
In the crosshairs of UEFA and the National Directorate of Management Control (DNCG), Marseille has no other choice but to make savings this summer. And that starts by replenishing the coffers through sales. Mason Greenwood will therefore be sacrificed; when exit doors are actively sought also for Leonardo Balerdi or Pierre-Emile Höjberg.
If everything was not perfect while he managed the transfers of the Marseille house, Medhi Benatia was nonetheless efficient when it came to obtaining a good price for coveted items. To his credit the lucrative sales of elements such as Luis Henrique, Robinio Vaz or Darryl Bakola – all sold in Italy for a total of around 65 million euros.
“There are contacts,” confirms Stéphane Richard
Frank McCourt has not forgotten these successes, and as the American particularly appreciates the former sporting director who resigned, the collaboration is not yet completely over. “ He no longer has any contractual link with OM and he intervenes in a logic of transfer of power with Grégory Lorenzi on certain sales files, out of a sense of responsibility and love of his club », whispers to La Provence an internal source at the club.
“ He is there, in Marseille, there are contacts. From the moment things are clear, that it is no longer him who decides, I take with pleasure everything he can bring us », Confirms Stéphane Richard to the regional daily, welcoming the cooperative spirit of Medhi Benatia who himself would have pleaded for the arrival of the former Brest resident Grégory Lorenzi to his post.
