Marseille’s Leonardo Balerdi turned down Bayer Leverkusen move

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Olympique de Marseille are desperate to raise funds this summer. The club avoided exclusion from European competition for next season, with UEFA handing down a suspended sentence. If the financial situation does not improve by next summer, OM will face a ban, however.

Mason Greenwood is the most bankable asset and Marseille are looking to sell the former Manchester United forward. AS Roma are interested, but he is a difficult player to sell. Leonardo Balerdi (27), who started the season as club captain, is also a bankable asset.

L’Équipeunderstands that he could have been sold in the spring when Bayer Leverkusen submitted a bid of over €25m (plus bonuses), however, the Argentine was not keen on the move to the Bundesliga club. The move, therefore, did not go through.

Balerdi then suffered a calf injury, which meant that, despite being included in Argentina’s FIFA World Cup squad, he will play no part in the competition. A departure is still expected but the ongoing World Cup is slowing any potential deal.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle