Official | Chancel Mbemba leaves Marseille | OneFootball

The saga is over. Chancel Mbemba (30) has announced that he has left Olympique de Marseille following the expiration of his contract. It has been a strained season for the DRC Congo international, who has not featured in a single matchday squad for Marseille following the arrival of head coach Roberto De Zerbi.

Last summer, the club sought to significantly trim their squad in the face of a high wage bill and no European football. Marseille sold Jonathan Clauss, Jordan Veretout, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. However, this transition to a lighter squad was far from smooth in the case of Mbemba.

Marseille placed Mbemba in the “loft” as they awaited a transfer, but they were unable to shift the centre-back. Relations between the club and player were fraught with sanctions and suspensions, and even after the summer window ended, the club were unwilling to change their stance on him, and it took legal reasons for them to allow him to return to first-team training.

In the winter window, there was once again no movement with the centre-back reportedly turning down an offer from Stade Rennais, and it became clear that Mbemba would see out the remaining months of his contract at Marseille.

GFFN | Nick Hartland