The promising chapter between Olympique de Marseille and Argentine defender Leonardo Balerdi is closing, but the final pages are being written in financial agony for the French club. While the separation has been quietly agreed upon, a bombshell revelation about a rejected mega-offer has exposed the staggering revenue loss plaguing the Phocaean side.
World Cup dreams dashed, financial plans crumble
The club had meticulously crafted a strategy to maximize Balerdi’s market value during the 2026 World Cup. The plan hinged on the Argentine’s high-profile exposure in the Albiceleste jersey, which was expected to trigger a bidding war. Fate, however, dealt a cruel blow. A debilitating calf injury just before the tournament forced the 27-year-old to withdraw, instantly dismantling Marseille’s financial blueprint orchestrated by club president Pablo Longoria.
Bayer Leverkusen’s €25m offer met with refusal
The disappointment runs deeper still. Marseille had already secured what appeared to be a golden opportunity months earlier. Sources close to the negotiations revealed that Bayer Leverkusen had tabled a firm €25m bid in spring, complete with achievable performance bonuses, to lure the former Borussia Dortmund defender back to the Bundesliga.
In a stunning twist, it was Balerdi himself who rejected the proposal outright. The Villa Mercedes-born defender, reluctant to return to the German top flight, dismissed the German club’s advances without hesitation.
Market value plummets, club forced into retreat
The defender’s personal decision has become a financial nightmare for Marseille. Between the rejected bid and his World Cup withdrawal, Balerdi’s market value has plummeted within weeks. Facing the harsh reality of depleted coffers and mounting urgency to balance the books, the club has been forced to drastically lower its asking price.
No longer expecting a €25m payday, Marseille has now set its sights on a €15m release clause—a steep €10m markdown that stings even more as the club battles to stay afloat on the Canebière.
