Timber's departure reopens the door to a surprise signing at OM

Olympique de Marseille closed the summer transfer window without recruiting a single player, an unprecedented situation for a club from one of Europe’s top five leagues also competing in a continental competition. Forced into austerity by UEFA and the DNCG, the club managed by Bruno Genesio was unable to offset the departures of around ten players, despite collecting some €80 million this summer and drastically reducing the wage bill.

The DNCG had set such strict constraints that even very low-cost targets proved incompatible with the club’s financial situation. Karl Toko-Ekambi, monitored to strengthen the attack, was unable to join Marseille, as the wage bill could not increase, even by a few thousand euros.

But things changed at the very end of the window: Dutch midfielder Quinten Timber was transferred to Crystal Palace for €20 million, freeing up a salary estimated at €320,000 per month in the process. This double saving — transfer fee and reduced wage bill — raises the question of a possible signing, either as a free agent or on a short-term deal.

The most serious lead points to Tanguy Ndombele. The former French international, who played for Nice over the past two seasons for around €150,000 per month, is reportedly close to a preliminary agreement with the Marseille club according to several sources.

His profile addresses a concrete need: after Timber’s departure, Marseille’s midfield is now limited to Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg, Himad Abdelli, Geoffrey Kondogbia and Tochukwu Nnadi. However, both Kondogbia and Nnadi suffered injuries during Sunday’s trip to Monaco. A thin contingent for juggling Ligue 1 matches and tackling the Ligue Europa, whose group stage begins in around two weeks.