Azzedine Ounahi at centre of transfer standoff as Marseille struggles to offload midfielder

Azzedine Ounahi has become a growing concern for Olympique de Marseille, as the Moroccan international continues to resist a summer transfer, despite no longer being part of the club’s long-term plans.

Following a productive loan spell at Panathinaikos, Ounahi returned to Marseille this summer expecting to compete for a place. However, the club’s leadership has made it clear he does not feature in their vision for the upcoming season.

That clarity, however, has not translated into a resolution, with the midfielder refusing to depart.

The latest episode in this increasingly fraught situation came when Ounahi turned down a move to Spartak Moscow, who had tabled a €12 million offer to secure his services.

While the Russian side had reached an agreement with Marseille, the player opted to reject the switch—dealing a blow to the club’s efforts to reshape its squad and rebalance its finances.

Ounahi’s firm stance is proving frustrating for the Marseille hierarchy, who are under mounting pressure to generate funds through player sales.

With three years still remaining on his contract, the midfielder holds significant leverage and appears in no hurry to facilitate a departure.

Internally, the club’s management is becoming increasingly irritated by what they see as a lack of cooperation from the 24-year-old.

Despite the ongoing efforts to find suitors and negotiate a solution, Ounahi’s reluctance to consider potential destinations has left the situation at a stalemate.

Marseille’s current transfer strategy is centred around a necessary downsizing of both the squad and wage bill. Several players have been made available for transfer as part of the club’s financial restructuring.

Ounahi, despite his undoubted quality and recent form in Greece, has been identified as one of the players who can command a decent fee and help balance the books.

His time at Marseille has been marked by inconsistency, injuries, and a lack of regular starts, factors that likely contributed to the decision to send him out on loan last season.

At Panathinaikos, he showed glimpses of the creativity and technical ability that once made him a rising star in Ligue 1, but those performances have not altered the club’s current stance on his future.

The rejection of Spartak’s offer underscores a deeper issue for Marseille—striking a balance between financial necessity and the will of contracted players.

Ounahi’s refusal to leave suggests he is content to stay and fight for a place, or at the very least wait for a more attractive offer.

For now, the standoff continues, with no clear resolution in sight. Marseille’s hopes of resolving their transfer window difficulties depend partly on unlocking this deadlock, but with Ounahi showing no signs of relenting, the club may be forced to reconsider its next steps.

Unless a breakthrough is reached, Azzedine Ounahi’s situation is set to remain one of the key complications in Marseille’s summer business.