Marseille offer Balerdi to Fulham
Fulham are weighing up a move for Leonardo Balerdi after Olympique de Marseille offered the Argentina international to the west London club. The French side are scrambling to offload players before the transfer window closes and have identified the centre-back as a key candidate for departure as they look to balance their books.
Balerdi’s relationship with the Marseille supporters has soured considerably over recent months. He was stripped of the captain’s armband last season following a difficult campaign, and his standing fell further during a recent pre-season friendly against Atletico Madrid at the Vélodrome. Errors in that match led to him being booed by home fans, underlining the breakdown in his connection with the club. Marseille have now engaged Unique Sports to manage exits from their squad and have formally presented Balerdi to Fulham in an effort to generate concrete interest and a potential bid.
Multiple defensive options
The Cottagers are not putting all their eggs in one basket. They remain in active talks to sign Abdelhamid Ait-Boudlal from Stade Rennais, although the French club have shown reluctance to reach an agreement for the young defender. In parallel, Fulham have submitted a formal offer to Real Betis for Natan, the Brazilian centre-back who arrived in Seville last summer.
Financial pressures
Marseille’s determination to sell Balerdi stems from promises made to French football’s financial regulator, the DNCG, and UEFA concerning player trading obligations. The Argentine represents one of the few remaining assets in their squad capable of generating significant income. However, Fulham have not yet tabled a formal bid for the 25-year-old, leaving the current proposal in a preliminary phase while the club assesses its options.
Marco Silva’s side appear to be working on several fronts to secure defensive reinforcements before the deadline. The coming days will determine whether Fulham pursue the Balerdi opportunity, continue attempting to break Rennais’ resistance for Ait-Boudlal, or focus on negotiating Natan’s release from Real Betis.