Marseille want Locatelli; Juventus respond

Olympique Marseille have quickly established themselves as one of the most ambitious and proactive clubs on the transfer market since the arrival of Medhi Benatia as sporting director.

The former Moroccan international has already left a strong mark on the club’s recruitment strategy, securing several high-profile additions that underline Marseille’s renewed ambitions.

Big names such as Roberto De Zerbi, Mason Greenwood, Benjamin Pavard, and Adrien Rabiot have all arrived on the Canebière, moves that have significantly raised the club’s profile and competitiveness.

So far, these operations are delivering encouraging results both on and off the pitch. However, Marseille’s leadership has no intention of slowing down.

According to the latest transfer rumours reported by TuttoJuve, Benatia is already working on another major deal, one that would follow a similar strategic logic to the Rabiot operation. The name now strongly linked with OM is Manuel Locatelli.

Locatelli, a Familiar Profile for De Zerbi

Manuel Locatelli, currently a key midfielder for Juventus, has emerged as a potential reinforcement for Olympique Marseille. The Italian international is a player Roberto De Zerbi knows extremely well, dating back to their shared time at Sassuolo.

De Zerbi has long admired Locatelli’s tactical intelligence, composure on the ball, and ability to dictate the tempo in midfield—qualities that fit perfectly with his footballing philosophy.

Despite the clear interest, the operation would not be straightforward. Marseille are not in a position to spend excessively during the upcoming winter transfer window.

As a result, Benatia and the club’s management are reportedly exploring alternative formulas behind the scenes, such as creative loan deals or structured agreements, in order to make the move financially viable while still strengthening the squad.

The growing speculation surrounding Locatelli has naturally caught the attention of Juventus, who are far from enthusiastic about the idea of letting the midfielder go.

The Bianconeri consider him an important part of their project and are not actively looking to sell. This firm stance could represent the biggest obstacle for Marseille.

Even so, the Locatelli hypothesis continues to gain momentum and could become one of the most intriguing storylines of the next transfer window.

As highlighted by TuttoJuve, Marseille’s ambition remains clear: to keep building a competitive squad capable of matching De Zerbi’s tactical vision, even if it requires patience, negotiation, and strategic creativity.

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