Internal Dispute As Key Trio Resist Sale Of Sunderland And Leeds United Target | OneFootball

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A trio of key men in the Marseille hierarchy are unhappy about the club’s plan to sell Leeds United and Sunderland target Igor Paixao.

Leeds have been long-time admirers of the Brazilian, having pursued him last summer before he eventually joined Marseille from Feyenoord.

Daniel Farke’s side returned to the trail this month, following missing out on Julian Brandt, and have not signed an alternative despite just days being left in the window.

Paixao, meanwhile, has had little appetite for leaving the Stade Velodrome, despite the French giants’ owner wanting to sell him for €50m.

Marseille’s failure to qualify for the Champions League has left the club looking towards the transfer market for a financial boost, making Paixao one of the assets they could cash in on.

That left Leeds with a reason to persist, although Sunderland’s quick arrival has altered the picture, with the Black Cats already reaching a verbal agreement with Paixao over personal terms and looking firmly in pole position now.

Sunderland have not reached an agreement with Marseille and, like Leeds, see Paixao as a €35m player.

And crucially, there is also still resistance from within the French side to a sale.

According to French daily La Provence, (via French outlet Maxifoot) Marseille owner Frank McCourt is ‘putting pressure on the club to finalise the sale’ of Paixao.

That stance, however, is not shared across the Marseille hierarchy, with club president Stephane Richard, sporting director Gregory Lorenzi and manager Bruno Genesio all ‘opposed to the idea’ of allowing the winger to leave.

Whether Marseille ultimately give the green light for Paixao to leave despite the trio’s resistance remains to be seen, but the internal power battle is sure to be being watched closely in the Premier League.

With Sunderland making the running, it remains to be seen if Leeds will firm up their interest in Paixao and put in a real push to take him to Elland Road.

Unlike Sunderland, Leeds cannot offer Paixao the chance to play in Europe this season and that may well be an extra step away from Marseille that the Brazilian cannot stomach.