O. Marseille: Benatia on De Bruyne move, "I tried, but..." | OneFootball

The sporting director of Marseille, Mehdi Benatia, recounted – as anticipated yesterday – to the microphones of RMC Sport an interesting transfer market episode from last summer, revealing an attempt – as ambitious as it was difficult – to approach Kevin De Bruyne.

O. Marseille, Benatia reveals the behind-the-scenes: “De Bruyne? I tried, but…”

According to his statements, Benatia had expressed the desire to meet the Belgian star to assess a possible move to Marseille. It was not, he clarified, a decision driven by the urgency to sign him at all costs, but rather by the will to understand his intentions and check for any room for negotiation.

Napoli, behind the scenes De Bruyne: De Zerbi’s Marseille tried, but Napoli had already closed the deal

The director explained: “De Bruyne? I tried, but he was already well advanced with Napoli. It’s not that I wanted to sign Kevin at all costs, but I wanted to meet him to talk and understand a bit how he was feeling. He was free, but that doesn’t mean he was free of charge.”

Benatia then revealed a second attempt, this time related to Wesley Fofana of Chelsea, the French defender originally from Marseille: “I also tried with Wesley Fofana. I said to myself: ‘He’s had quite a few injuries, but could the Marseille environment, at home, work out for him?’”

The director’s words offer an insight into Marseille’s strategies, always searching for high-level profiles but aware of the complexities that characterize the most prestigious transfer operations.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.