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OM transfer fiasco: how Balerdi’s exit became a financial setback
After months of mounting tension, the partnership between Olympique de Marseille and Leonardo Balerdi is reaching its final stages—but the club’s financial pain is far from over. While the Argentine defender’s departure has been agreed behind closed doors, fresh revelations about a lucrative offer he rejected have exposed the staggering revenue shortfall now facing the Phocaean side.
World Cup dreams shattered by injury
Marseille’s management had crafted what they believed was a flawless exit strategy for Balerdi, banking on the 2026 World Cup as the perfect stage to amplify his market value. The idea was simple: a standout performance in the Albiceleste colors would send bids soaring. Yet fate intervened with brutal precision. Just days before the tournament, a severe calf strain sidelined the 27-year-old, wiping out the club’s carefully laid financial plans in an instant.
Balerdi rejects Leverkusen’s €25 million offer
The club’s frustration deepens when considering what might have been. Early this spring, Bayer Leverkusen made a bold, concrete move, presenting Marseille with a firm bid of €25 million, complete with attainable performance bonuses, to secure Balerdi’s signature. The German side had even gone so far as to finalize the structure of the deal.
To everyone’s surprise, it was Balerdi himself who slammed the door shut on the opportunity. Eager to avoid a return to the Bundesliga, the Villa Mercedes native dismissed the proposal outright, leaving Marseille’s hierarchy stunned.
Market value plummets by €10 million
The defender’s personal veto, combined with his World Cup withdrawal, has triggered a dramatic valuation crash. In the span of mere weeks, Balerdi’s price tag has plummeted, forcing the club to confront a harsh financial reality. With coffers in dire need of replenishment, the Olympique de Marseille board has drastically scaled back its expectations. No longer aiming for €25 million, the club now clings to the hope of securing just €15 million—a €10 million haircut that stings all the more as every euro counts along the Canebière.
