Mathieu Valbuena set to return to Olympiacos at the age of 40 | OneFootball

Mathieu Valbuena (40) is not done yet. According to L’Équipe, the former France international is set to make a surprise return to Olympiacos, two years after leaving the Greek champions. The veteran midfielder is coming off a strong individual campaign with Athens Kallithea (35 appearances, 3 goals, 4 assists), despite the club’s relegation to the second tier.

Valbuena spent four successful seasons at Olympiacos between 2019 and 2023, winning three league titles and becoming a cult hero in Piraeus. Now, with the club preparing for a new Champions League campaign, he is expected to take on a hybrid role—oscillating between the first team and the B team, which plays in Greece’s second division with professional status.

The move marks what is likely to be the final season of his playing career. At Olympiacos the Frenchman is set to reunite with Rémy Cabella, who joined the club in late June.

Valbuena’s return is also part of a longer-term plan. Once his playing days are over, he is expected to take on a developmental role within the club’s academy. The midfielder already runs the Valbuena Academy in Athens, a youth project he launched last year.

Capped 52 times by France, Valbuena starred for Marseille between 2006 and 2014, before spells at Dynamo Moscow, Lyon, Fenerbahçe, and Olympiacos.GFFN | George Boxall