Marseille president reveals Bruno Genesio wasn’t ‘far from breaking point’ over Igor Paixao transfer | OneFootball

Speaking on RMC Sport show Rothen S’Enflamme, newly appointed Olympique de Marseille president, Stéphane Richard, revealed that manager Bruno Genesio neared “breaking point” over Igor Paixao’s prospective move away from the club.

It was a tough summer for OM, who were forced to put all of their players up for sale. The likes of Mason Greenwood, Facundo Medina, Geronimo Rulli, Leonardo Balerdi, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all left the club. But despite several departures, the club were still not in a position to invest a single penny, due to their obligations to the DNCG and UEFA.

In fact, as the transfer window neared its end, there was talk of even more players leaving the club, including Paixao, who was the subject of talks with Sunderland. There had been reports – at the time – of Genesio’s strong opposition to the Brazilian’s sale. There was even talk of resignation, which Richard has now all but confirmed.

“Bruno wasn’t blackmailing and saying that if so-and-so leaves, then I am leaving, too, but we weren’t far from the breaking point with Paixao. I campaigned for Paixao to stay. If I hadn’t intervened, he might have left. In the end, the decision was (Frank) McCourt’s (Marseille owner). He made the effort,” revealed Richard. Paixao, given the swathe of departures, is now the key man at the Vélodrome; it is a status that the Brazilian must now assume.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle