Paixao ready to take pay cut to help OM through financial crisis

Igor Paixao has declared himself ready to accept a salary reduction to help Olympique de Marseille, a club facing relegation ahead of its trip to Troyes on Sunday to close out matchday 6 of Ligue 1.

The Brazilian striker, whom Bruno Genesio insisted on keeping last summer despite a preliminary agreement reached with Sunderland for his transfer, has taken the initiative. “They haven’t discussed a salary cut with me,” he confided, before adding: “If we need to reduce our salary to help the club, it’s the best thing to do and then increase it later. We just need to have a discussion and decide on the best way to do it.”

The statement comes amid a profound crisis. The club’s new management, led by president Stéphane Richard, discovered over the summer the extent of the damage left by Pablo Longoria, who was removed from the presidency a few months earlier. Under the dual constraints of the DNCG and UEFA, Marseille was unable to recruit during the off-season, leaving Genesio with a reduced squad in both quantity and quality.

Negotiations have already been launched with several players to review their salaries downward. The names of Nayef Aguerd, Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg and Amine Harit have been mentioned, without official confirmation at this stage of the efforts actually being made.

Stéphane Richard recently acknowledged the situation bluntly: “We’re not yet at the target, that’s clear, but everything we can still do will help us in this appeal.” The president also praised the attitude of certain players: “There are still discussions being held with certain players that I commend. Some have volunteered spontaneously and others have opened the door to participating in this war effort.”

Paixao’s approach thus fits into a dynamic that Marseille’s management is calling for, as times of austerity loom long at the Vélodrome.