DNCG caps Marseille wage bill and transfer fees as belt-tightening looms | OneFootball

The DNCG has imposed controls on Marseille’s wage bill and transfer fees, forcing a period of belt-tightening. The club was informed shortly after 17:30 on Friday.

According to L'Équipe, this is the strictest measure applied to a Ligue 1 side at the close of 2025-26. Fifteen clubs passed without issue, with Monaco and OL receiving wage bill caps.

Marseille’s last constraint came in late November 2023, limiting spending for the January 2024 window. Heavy outlay in summer 2023 on Geoffrey Kondogbia, Renan Lodi, Ismaïla Sarr, Iliman Ndiaye and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang preceded elimination by Panathinaikos on 15 August 2023, 0-1 away, 2-1 at home, then a 5-3 penalty defeat. Winter moves were restrained, including Faris Moumbagna, Quentin Merlin, Ulisses Garcia and Jean Onana, plus Lodi to Al Hilal and Vitinha on loan to Genoa.

In May 2024, convinced by Pablo Longoria and Medhi Benatia, owner Frank McCourt backed a three-year push, embodied by Roberto De Zerbi in June. Additions followed, notably Adrien Rabiot, Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg and Mason Greenwood, despite no European football in 2024-25, and the club posted a 105 million euro deficit, surpassed only by OL.

That approach required direct Champions League qualification. Pressure on the De Zerbi-Longoria-Benatia trio intensified in spring 2025, and although a place was secured on matchday 33, the following May saw a fifth-place finish.

Despite UEFA income, 2025-26 still ran at a heavy loss. McCourt sought a positive January 2026, selling Robinho Vaz to Roma and Darryl Bakola to Sassuolo, and added 30 million euros early in spring.

On 10 April, alongside new president Stéphane Richard’s presentation, McCourt said he had not fully grasped the scale of investment a decade ago but called involvement at OM pure joy. He now wants lower costs and is seeking a minority investor.

Source: L'Équipe