With no Champions League football next season, Olympique de Marseille are likely to lose the services of the club’s star players including Loic Remy and Mathieu Valbuena.
Nine-time French champions and winners of UEFA Champions League in 1993, Olympique de Marseille finished tenth this season. In the second half of the season, Didier Deschamps’ team failed to hit top gear. Winning games in the league was perhaps the hardest
thing for them.
Although the season has concluded, woes of Marseille are far from over. If the financial aspect is given a consideration, their troubles have only just begun. The club which was once the heart and soul of French football is now facing a huge deficit of 35
million Euros.
The owner of the club, Margarita Louis-Dreyfus, has not guaranteed injection of funds for the club. Sporting director of the club Jose Anigo and coach, Didier Deschamps do not enjoy the best of relationships. On top of that, Les Phocéens have failed to qualify
for next year’s Champions league, depriving them of a lucrative financial windfall.
The financial fiasco has pushed http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Olympique-de-Marseille-c40127 into heaps of trouble. There is dire need of reduction in club’s wage bill. This will result in star players leaving Marseille for other top European clubs. Even though star players have voiced their
willingness to stay at the club, in order to avoid a massive deficit of 35 million Euros, the 2010 French champions need to sell their star players.
Bettor.com now takes a look at few of those players who are likely to leave the Velodrome this mercato.
Loic Remy
Age: 25
Position: striker
Nationality: French
2011-12 SEASON STATS
Appearances: 42
Goals: 20
The talented French striker wants to stay at Marseille for a third season but interest in him from top European clubs especially from English clubs isn’t going away. It will be very difficult for Olympique de Marseille to hold on to their star striker who
netted 39 goals in his 2-season stay at the club.
If Loic Remy is able to perform well for France national team at the Euros, his price will instantly shoot up and it will become even harder for Marseille to keep him at the club with no Champions League football to offer.
Mathieu Valbuena
Age: 27
Position: Midfielder
Nationality: French
2011-12 SEASON STATS
Appearances: 45
Goals: 9
The number 28 of Marseille has not enjoyed the best of the seasons. However, the hardworking midfielder has won over the fans through his work rate and style of play. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Mathieu-Valbuena-c24690 has vowed to stay at Marseille and help the club achieve its target next
season but a lucrative offer might persuade Marseille into selling him and get him off their wage bill.
Andre Ayew
Age: 22
Position: Striker
Nationality: Ghanaian
2011-12 SEASON STATS
Appearances: 39
Goals: 16
Another prolific striker who might be on his way out of the club is the talented http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ghana-c2905 international, Andre Ayew. The interest of German giants Bayern Munich in Andre Ayew is not a new thing. The Bavarians have scouted him several times in the last six months.
Like Remy, Andre Ayew has voiced his desire to stay at Marseille but a good offer from Bayern Munich or some other top European club will be too hard to resist for both the club and the player.
Andre-Pierre Gignac
Age: 26
Position: Striker
Nationality: French
2011-12 SEASON STATS
Appearances: 9
Goals: 0
The http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/France-c2899 international had a terrible season in every aspect. A big money signing from Toulouse back in 2010, Gignac has so far failed to justify his price tag. But the striker does not want to leave Velodrome as a failure. He wants to stay at the club
for at least another season in order to prove himself.
Despite the player’s wishes, Marseille desperately want to reduce their wage bill and Gignac is one of the highest earners at the club. One can expect Marseille to offload the striker this summer and if this happens, it won’t be a big shocker.
Disclaimer: Views and opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect bettor.com’s editorial policy
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