Juventus ready to listen to offers for Manuel Locatelli

After a very unusual season for Olympique de Marseille, which saw a total of four coaches (Marcelino, Jacques Abardonado, Gennaro Gattuso and Jean-Louis Gasset), the Marseille management led by Pablo Longoria and Medhi Benatia had to start looking for a new conductor, while the tacticians followed one another on the Canebière without ever having the time to install their sporting project and tactical philosophy there. Since the arrival of the Spanish president in July 2020, eight coaches have succeeded one another on the bench of the Phocéens, very often staying less than a year. But the summer of 2024 could put an end to this curse. The arrival of Roberto De Zerbi is already being felt in the summer transfer window and the Marseille management was quick to get to work, relying on the natural attractiveness of the Italian coach.

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The Longoria-Benatia tandem, determined on this summer transfer window, intends to have a great summer in Marseille with the Italian tactician. Coveted by the biggest clubs of the Old Continent, Roberto De Zerbi has decided to settle down on the Canebière even if the last details, which do not change anything in the agreement between the coach and the OM management, will be settled. In Marseille, everyone now sees things on a grand scale. And inevitably, the Marseille leaders want to allow the former Brighton and Sassuolo coach to achieve his objectives. Several recruits are targeted and in addition to the imminent arrival of Lilian Brassier, Marseille has already got its hands on Ismaël Koné, another choice recruit from Watford. And according to our information, Pablo Longoria, Medhi Benatia, Roberto De Zerbi and Giovanni Rossi are trying to work on a lead in Italy that leads to Manuel Locatelli, Italian midfielder of Juventus.

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OM: the first words of Roberto De Zerbi

Locatelli not opposed to leaving

A few days ago, the Italian press mentioned a possible interest from OM in Manuel Locatelli. According to our information, this track is very concrete with the arrival of Roberto De Zerbi on the Marseille bench. According to our indiscretions, the player is not against leaving Juventus. Indeed, his absence from Luciano Spalletti’s list for Euro 2024 gave him the desire to leave. Looking for a new project in which he could establish himself as leader, Manuel Locatelli wishes to play again under the orders of Roberto De Zerbi as he had already indicated in the Italian press several months ago: “I feel close to De Zerbi because he changed my life. We talk often, but I want to stay here for now and Roberto knows that. We will see each other again in the future. We both hope so”. Coach of Sassuolo during the midfield’s revelation season before his departure to Juventus, Roberto De Zerbi always held the native of Lecco in high esteem, whom he considered to be the central core of his playing system.

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According to our information, Juventus, who are continuing to discuss securing the arrival of several midfielders (Douglas Luiz, Teun Koopmeiners, Khéphren Thuram), are looking to trim the position in order to avoid a traffic jam next season. The Bianconeri are also recording the return from suspension of Nicolò Fagioli and are still negotiating to extend Adrien Rabiot’s contract. In this sense, the Turin management wants to replenish the coffers by finding a landing point for Manuel Locatelli in order to finance the other planned summer transfers. According to our indiscretions, the transaction does not look so simple and the departure of the Italian midfielder could well take the form of a paid loan with an option to buy which would become mandatory under certain conditions. Negotiations will take place in the coming weeks between OM and Juventus to assess the feasibility of such a deal. In any case, Manuel Locatelli’s profile is well ticked and the Italian midfielder is no longer opposed to leaving Juventus.