The Olympique de Marseille is about to achieve a significant advance in its summer mercato, with an acceleration of negotiations for the acquisition of the young Ecuadorian central defender Joel Ordóñez. According to information from Teradeportes, the Phocéan club has improved the terms of payment and the bonuses related to the transfer, bringing both parties closer to a final agreement. The official signature could take place this weekend. Ordóñez, considered a great hope, represents a reinforcement both for the future and for the central hinge of the team, which seeks to gain defensive stability. This transfer marks a turning point in his career, offering him the prospect of competing in the Champions League with a historic club like OM.

Madhi Benatia, director of football at the Olympique de Marseille, gave an initial assessment of the summer mercato, stressing that the three-year project is underway and that the club is satisfied with the preparation of the team, especially after the friendly victory against Aston Villa. Although six recruits have already joined OM, Benatia indicates that one or two positions remain to be filled, particularly in defence and potentially in the midfield, depending on market opportunities. The aim is to give Roberto De Zerbi a full staff to face Ligue 1 and European competition with ambition.

The defeat against Rennes caused a strong tension in the Olympian locker room, with verbal exchanges and friction between the players. Managers such as Geroinmo Ruelli, Léo Balerdiet, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg expressed frustration at the lack of involvement and the unworthy performance. De Zerbi recalled the importance of the values of humility and self-giving, while pointing to Jonathan Rowe’s lack of defensive effort, a player likely to leave the club. This episode reveals a bubbling climate within the team, where each defeat is perceived as a betrayal, but the players try to relativize this incident by seeing it as a reaction to the defeat.