Medhi Benatia’s return to Olympique de Marseille is not built to last. Roberto De Zerbi’s departure back in February unleashed a crisis at OM. Now-former President Pablo Longoria was cast aside, whilst Benatia, the sporting director, confirmed his departure from the club.
However, just days later, he was reinstated in the role. “For many reasons, I could not abandon the club in these conditions. It’s a club that is dear to me, where I came through,” Benatia said following his return to Marseille. “I accepted the owner’s request to stay until the end of the season out of a sense of responsibility. There was no intrigue or takeover,” he added.
But Benatia will not remain beyond the end of the campaign. Presenting the new President, Stéphane Richard, owner Franck McCourt confirmed that the sporting director would leave in the summer. “Medhi was ready to leave earlier. I asked him to come for a talk and so that he could reconsider his choice. He accepted [to come back] but he told me that he would finish at the end of the season. That is the agreement that we have and I accepted it. I can, therefore, confirm that he will leave at the end of the season,” said McCourt in a press conference attended by Get French Football News.
GFFN | Luke Entwistle & George Boxall – reporting from Marseille
