A degreasing operation this winter?, A former “favorite” of De Zerbi towards OM? and a good transfer window! … The 3 OM news this Thursday!

Find in this article the 3 pieces of information about Olympique de Marseille that you shouldn't miss this Thursday, January 2, 2025.

Mercato OM: A degreasing operation this winter?

While the winter transfer window just opened its doors yesterday, the specialist media for this period, Foot Mercato, informs us that OM could leave a good number of players during the month of January…

Indeed, Foot Mercato mentions the launch of a real “downsizing” operation on the side of OM, an approach which would concern several elements of the workforce this winter.

Amine Harit at the top of the list!

Unsurprisingly, Congolese defender Chancel Mbemba is among the players expected to leave. After being sidelined by Roberto De Zerbi, a return to the professional group before June 30 seems unlikely. If Mbemba recently declined the advances of two Ligue 1 clubs (Rennes and Nantes), his future could well take shape in the Middle East, where his situation would increasingly echo.

However, the headliner of this winter degreasing remains Amine Harit. According to the media, the departure of the Moroccan attacking midfielder seems almost inevitable this winter for the one who has not played a single minute since his exclusion against PSG on October 27…

Among the other names mentioned, Pol Lirola and Ulisses Garcia, who have scrounged up a few minutes due to the lack of depth in the squad since August, could be sold to free up space for potential recruits.

Unsurprisingly, the names of Ruben Blanco and Bamo Meité also appear on this list. The first would not yet have a serious suitor while for the second, Medhi Benatia will only listen to offers proposing a loan with a compulsory purchase option.

To be continued…

also read: Mercato competitors OM: A flop is already leaving OL after 1 year…

Mercato OM: A former “favorite” of De Zerbi in Sassuolo towards OM?

Since yesterday, January 1, 2025, the winter transfer window has officially opened its doors for all French, English and German clubs. Today, January 2, 2025, it was the turn of the Spanish and Italian clubs to officially enter the winter transfer waltz. It is precisely from Italy that a new rumor comes to us leading to a former protégé of De Zerbi in Sassuolo…

Indeed, according to the Italian media, ilgiornaredellosport, Roberto De Zerbi would like to bring the 2021 European champion with Italy to OM, Domenico Berardi, whom he had under his command at Sassuolo for three years.

The reformed tandem?

The native of Cariari, who suffered a serious injury to his achilles tendon last spring, was therefore unable to prevent his club's relegation to Serie B at the end of last season. However, the 30-year-old has returned very well with Sassuolo since the end of September and already has three goals and 10 assists with the green and black this season in Serie B.

While the prospect of attracting the Italian winger could please many, it now remains to be seen whether it will materialize before the end of the transfer window.

also read: OM: “I hope that OM will not abandon this idea too quickly…”

A good market plan: Carlos Cuesta!

The winter transfer window officially opened its doors this Wednesday January 1 and it once again promises to be very hectic for Olympique de Marseille. OM must indeed strengthen itself in the defensive sector. FCMarseille offers you its good transfer window plans with a Colombian at the central defender position.

Please note, this is “Bon Plan Mercato” proposed by the editorial staff of Football Club de Marseille. To date, this is not a current option for OM for the next transfer window.

Summer recruitment, particularly on the defensive side, has been far from satisfactory since the start of August. One of the biggest disappointments of this first part of the season is none other than the central defender, Lilian Brassier, recruited from Brest this summer. The former Brest player was even completely excluded from Roberto De Zerbi's starting line-ups for more than a month and a half and a match against Auxerre where he was guilty of a gross blunder on Auxerre's first goal.

Carlos Cuestacentral defender of Genk in the Jupiler Pro League, could be an interesting avenue to strengthen the Marseille defense during the winter transfer window. This option is in any case potentially feasible for OM. Here is the journalist's portrait of the player Pierre Gerbeaud (@PierreGerbeaud)

Focus on Carlos Cuesta

Who is he?

A mature and experienced profile valued at 5 million euros?

Our colleague Pierre Gerbeaud (@PierreGerbeaud) checked off this good plan in central defense. He describes a versatile player, capable of playing on the right axis or in the right lane and who could also perfectly compete or even replace Amir Murillo or Lilian Brassier:

« He is a player who already has 21 caps with Colombia, who has been in Europe since 2019. He comes out of Atlético Nacional and on the mental aspect we can say that he is already experienced because when you come out of 'Aletico Nacional in Colombia and when you know the pressure and the atmosphere there, you know that it is still a guarantee of quality and that it is not the Vélodrome which will scare him. He is a central defender who is not giant (1m79) but who is very precise, he is quite quick in the short game, he has good placement and anticipation skills. It’s really a very safe bet. He was injured at the start of the season, he had lost his place with Genk a little but he has just regained it since mid-November. He's really a defender that I would take, who can play in a 4 or 3 defense but on the other hand more of a right axis, I have no memory of having seen him play a left axis. He's really a defender who could take Murillo's place, who could play in the right lane if OM ever goes back to 4 or even a little higher in the middle but given the crowd in the middle at OM I think he will not be required to help out in this position. For me, he's a player that I would take, that I would try, he is stagnating a little at Genk, at the end of his cycle there and I think that if OM goes to look for him this winter, he can really go through a level and really become a real captain at the high level. He has experience in the European Cup, he has already played in the Champions League and a few Europa League matches with Genk. He must have around ten European matches under his belt. He showed that he could be totally up to the task. So here is Carlos Cuesta, in terms of speed, technique, anticipation, placement, it's clean, I would take him to OM, he is adaptable to the De Zerbi style. I would try this bet, it would cost around 8-10M given that he does not have a European passport he would come to take the 4th place of extra community in the workforce but it would be an added value and a significant contribution to what De Zerbi wants to do.«

also read: Good plan Mercato OM: A Brazilian to strengthen the central defense