Marseille shut door on Hojbjerg departure amid Juventus links | OneFootball

Olympique Marseille have serious ambitions, and they are proving it this season, with the club set to keep a hold of Juventus-linked Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

The January transfer window could offer an opportunity to strengthen those ambitions further, perhaps with one or two well-targeted signings.

However, president Pablo Longoria has now definitively ruled out the possibility of selling Hojbjerg, a cornerstone not only of the midfield but also a dressing-room leader and an indispensable figure within the squad.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder #05 Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg arrives to attend the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park in south London on October 27, 2023. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

No luck for Juventus as Marseille hold on to Hojbjerg

The supposed interest from Juventus never developed into anything concrete, nor did it even reach the stage of preliminary talks. In truth, the situation had already been clear for several weeks.

Roberto De Zerbi, speaking previously on Sportitalia, had already closed the door, underlining the importance of the 30-year-old Danish midfielder to Marseille’s tactical balance and internal structure.

BRADFORD, ENGLAND – AUGUST 3: Roberto De Zerbi manager of Olympique Marseille during the pre-season friendly match between Sunderland and Olympique Marseille at University of Bradford Stadium on August 3, 2024 in Bradford, England. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)

This is yet another confirmation of how difficult it often is to prise away key players in January, especially those considered pillars of a club with clear objectives and long-term plans.