Marseille want to keep €45m-rated Leonardo Balerdi amid Roma interest | OneFootball

Leonardo Balerdi (26) is garnering interest. Named captain in the summer, Olympique de Marseille will not let him leave on the cheap, RMC Sport report.

Balerdi, largely inconsistent since joining from Borussia Dortmund, has been impressive this season under Roberto De Zerbi, after earning the captain’s armband. “I hope that the big European teams don’t realise he exists […] I am happy that he is going under the radar of the big teams,” said the OM manager earlier this month, in a press conference, attended by Get French Football News.

However, perhaps he is no longer going under the radar. As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Balerdi is of interest to Serie A side AS Roma with the Argentinian reportedly open to the move. The Italian publication touted a fee of €20m, however, RMC Sport understands that this will be nowhere near sufficient to prise the defender away from the Vélodrome.

The French publication understands that Marseille want to keep Balerdi amid the interest from Roma but if they are to sell, it would require a fee of around €45m. For now, there are no negotiations between Roma and Marseille regarding a transfer.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle