Olympiacos Approach Marcus Pedersen of Torino As They Move On From Joakim Maehle | OneFootball

Marcus Pedersen of Torino FC in action during the Coppa Italia match between of Torino FC and US Carrarese at Stadio Olimpico on August 15, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/2026 Getty Images)

Joakim Mæhle has spent days as the preferred right-back. Olympiacos reportedly solved much of the player side. They made Wolfsburg an offer. Wolfsburg rejected it. Then Juventus appeared. That combination creates a classic late-window problem: the longer Olympiacos wait for one seller, the more control that seller gains.

Marcus Pedersen is how you break that dynamic.

Olympiacos first made formal contact with Torino. Hours later, Lorenzo Lepore reported that the club are working today to find agreement with both Pedersen and Torino around €8m. That is no longer leverage for leverage’s sake. It looks like an attempt to create a second transfer Olympiacos could actually finish.

Pedersen may now be much closer to Mæhle in the internal hierarchy than the original reporting suggested

Earlier SPORT24 reporting still had Mæhle first. That may remain true. But clubs do not try to close another €8m permanent transfer in parallel merely to make Wolfsburg nervous. The seriousness of the Pedersen move suggests Olympiacos are increasingly comfortable with him as the actual right-back solution if the economics work.

That changes the Mæhle negotiation considerably. Wolfsburg can still demand its price. Olympiacos no longer have to accept it.

Pedersen gives Mendilibar several things Mæhle would also provide — but at a different point in the age curve

Mæhle is 29. Pedersen is 26. That difference is not huge in footballing terms, but it matters financially.

At 26, Pedersen should still offer:

multiple prime seasons;

less age-related decline risk;

and at least some resale preservation.

An €8m purchase therefore carries a different asset profile than paying around €7m for Mæhle.

Mæhle may be the more proven all-round player. Pedersen potentially offers a better blend of current performance and future value.

The athletic profile may be particularly appealing after NEC

Pedersen’s strongest quality is not subtle. He can run. He can accelerate down the flank. He can recover when possession is lost. That matters in Mendilibar’s football because the full-backs often play high enough that recovery situations become inevitable. Olympiacos were punished badly when their rest defense failed against NEC. A full-back with genuine recovery pace does not solve the structural issue by himself, but he gives the structure a larger margin for error.

His recent Milan performance offers a useful example

Public AC Milan supporter discussion after Torino’s opener specifically noted Pedersen beating Pervis Estupiñán for pace down the flank and creating danger from that action. That is fan observation rather than scouting proof, but it illustrates the visible athletic trait Olympiacos would be buying.

Pedersen can threaten space. He can carry the ball forward. He does not need every attack to be manufactured through combination play. Against Greek opponents defending deep, that gives Olympiacos another way to stretch the block horizontally.

Torino’s reported €10m demand is the major complication

This is where the story needs restraint. Lepore says Olympiacos hope to close around €8m. CuoreToro says Torino want €10m and explicitly references their rejection of Hull City’s €5m attempt. Those numbers are close enough for a deal to be conceivable.

They are not the same. Until Torino accept, “€8m deal” should be described as Olympiacos’ hoped-for package, not the transfer price.

Torino also have a football reason to resist

Pedersen is not an unused squad player. He has been part of Abate’s competitive plans and has started major matches.

Torino therefore need compensation not merely because he has market value but because selling him creates another recruitment requirement. That is usually where valuation hardens late in a window. A seller needs enough money to justify losing the player and replacing him.

Olympiacos now face a very clean comparison

If current reporting is broadly accurate:

Mæhle: Wolfsburg want around €7m, player side reportedly much further advanced, Juventus lurking.

Pedersen: Olympiacos targeting roughly €8m, Torino reportedly want €10m, player side still being worked.

This is no longer Plan A versus cheap Plan B. These are two serious transactions in similar financial territory.

The decision becomes sporting.

Mæhle gives:

Pedersen gives:

That is a legitimate recruitment choice.

The Pedersen move also makes the defensive-midfield search even more connected

Pedersen wants to attack. Tiknizyan wants to attack. If Olympiacos end up with two aggressive full-backs, they need somebody protecting the spaces behind them. That makes the Álvarez/Puerta/other midfield decision part of the same squad architecture. Signing players in isolation is easy.

Building a structure in which their strongest instincts complement each other is harder. Mendilibar’s new right-back will influence what kind of midfielder Olympiacos actually need.

The next threshold is now strict

Another “Olympiacos like Pedersen” story adds nothing. The meaningful developments from here are:

Pedersen reaches personal agreement.

Olympiacos formally improve/submit an €8m-level proposal.

Torino counter or accept.

Torino hold at €10m and Olympiacos walk away.

or

Pedersen receives permission to travel.

Until then, the correct status is: Pedersen is now an active closing target, with Olympiacos trying to complete a permanent move around €8m but Torino reportedly valuing him closer to €10m.