Sunderland's €35m bid for Payet: Galtier's Olympique Marseille faces tough choice on Paieshow

Olympique Marseille has not made a final decision on the future of Igor Paieshow, the 26-year-old Brazilian winger, despite receiving a €35 million bid from Sunderland, according to L’Équipe. With the summer transfer window closing on 1 September, the Phocaean club must reduce its wage bill to meet UEFA and French financial authority requirements.

The situation has created an internal divide. Head coach Bruno Galtier wants to keep his most valuable player at all costs, while owner Frank McCourt appears to favour a sale. The sporting administration has yet to make its decision.

When asked on Friday, sporting director Grégory Lorenzi maintained ambiguity while acknowledging the tension between sporting ambitions and financial reality. “Igor is a very important player for Olympique Marseille, but that doesn’t mean he will leave. Many things can happen, there are still a few days left. He is a highly sought-after player. We want to keep our best players, but there are constraints related to the economic side regarding UEFA and the French financial authority, and we will have to respond to them positively.”

Lorenzi also highlighted the sporting risks of losing the player: “Removing Igor Paieshow is difficult because we may not be able to replace him. It’s not a simple equation.” President Stéphane Richar had suggested an alternative option: asking some players to agree to wage cuts to improve the financial situation without sacrificing key squad members.

Paieshow, who delivered a convincing pre-season performance in the opening match, represents the highest market value in Marseille’s squad. His stay will largely depend on the club’s ability to find other cost-saving measures before the transfer window closes.