Transfer window: OM to keep Paixao, Timber, Aguerd; only Höjbjerg uncertain

Olympique de Marseille should wrap up its summer transfer window without major upheaval: according to Foot Mercato, the board decided on Monday to keep the players who had been announced as departures, just hours before the market closes at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 1st.

Igor Paixao, Quinten Timber, Nayef Aguerd and Emerson Palmieri will remain at Marseille. Amine Gouiri and Timothy Weah, who could have left in the event of a convincing offer, will also be retained in the squad. Negotiations conducted with Premier League clubs — Sunderland for Paixao, Crystal Palace for Timber — proved unsuccessful, which hastened the board’s decision.

Bruno Genesio, beaten 2-0 at Monaco on Sunday evening, did not hide his relief at seeing the market close. “We’re very happy it’s ending,” said the Marseille coach, who above all wanted to preserve a coherent core rather than suffer last-minute departures.

One matter remains pending: that of Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg. The Danish midfielder, the club’s highest earner at nearly 500,000 euros per month, is reportedly in Juventus’s sights, which would consider a loan with an option to buy according to the Italian press. A late departure by the 2021 European champion could be offset by the arrival of Tanguy Ndombele, a free agent, with whom OM has reportedly reached a preliminary agreement.