Very close to validating the recruitment of Luiz Felipe, Olympique de Marseille will be able to say a big thank you to the Al-Ittihad club, which released its central defender while preventing him from returning to Betis Sevilla.
At the start of the week, the Marseille club will receive its first gift of the year 2025 with the recruitment of reinforcements during this winter transfer window. Looking for a defensive player to expand his choices in the central hinge, Roberto De Zerbi is indeed preparing to welcome Luiz Felipe. Expected in Marseille on Monday to undergo his medical examination and sign a one and a half year contract, the central defender arrives free from Al-Ittihad. A Saudi club that Pablo Longoria will not fail to thank. Already because he let go of his 27-year-old player, recruited for 22 million euros in 2023, for free. But also and above all because the formation of Saudi Arabia prevented him from signing again for Betis Sevilla.
Al-Ittihad blocks Betis Sevilla for Luiz Felipe
According to information from ABC, Al-Ittihad actually included a clause in his dismissal to tell the Spanish club that it would be impossible for them to sign Luiz Felipe at least until 2026. An astonishing clause which shows that the leaders of 'Al-Ittihad have not digested the sum given to Sevilla for the transfer of an unwanted future, left aside this season. But in any case, this clause will make Marseille happy, who will recruit a new quality central defender for the second part of the season. While Lilian Brassier does not fit the bill, the former Brest player having already been announced as leaving for Rennes, De Zerbi needed another central player to fill the slots of his new 3-4-3 system. With Luiz Felipe, a player who showed great things at Lazio Rome then at Betis Sevilla, OM is in any case getting off to a perfect start to their winter transfer window.
