No Marseille player accepts salary cut despite points penalty threat

No player in Olympique de Marseille’s squad has agreed to take a pay cut, despite several proposals put forward by sporting director Grégory Lorenzi. The club, under DNCG supervision, faces a points penalty for next season if its wage bill is not reduced.

The paradox is striking: on the pitch, Marseille is performing well with four consecutive Ligue 1 victories that have lifted it to sixth place. Behind the scenes, however, the financial situation remains under strain and the salary issue is the absolute priority for the Marseille board.

According to Foot Mercato, Lorenzi is holding multiple discussions with players and their agents without managing to break the deadlock. Faced with this collective refusal, the sporting director has put forward a new proposal: accept an immediate salary cut in exchange for a significant reduction in the release clause written into contracts.

The idea is to make the agreement mutually beneficial. The players concerned would obtain more favorable departure conditions in a future transfer, while the club would reduce its fixed costs and lower the risk of disciplinary sanctions. A theoretical balance that, for now, is not enough to convince a dressing room reluctant to make financial concessions.

Marseille thus finds itself in an uncomfortable position: solid on the pitch, but forced to negotiate urgently to prevent its results on the field from being wiped out by an administrative decision. The outcome of discussions with players and their representatives will largely determine the club’s room for maneuver for next season.