Marcin Bułka transfer talks intensify as Olympique de Marseille challenge Al Hilal interest

Olympique de Marseille have opened serious negotiations with Neom over a potential deal for Poland goalkeeper Marcin Bułka, according to reports in Saudi Arabia.

The French club have made a formal offer to sign the 26-year-old during the current summer transfer window, with Neom now considering whether to accept the proposal, the newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported on Friday.

Bułka joined Neom last summer on a contract running until 2029. That agreement leaves him with three full seasons remaining, making any decision on his future dependent on both the financial value of Marseille’s offer and the role he plays in Neom’s long-term plans.

Neom are understood to be assessing the bid carefully because Bułka is regarded as one of the central figures in the ambitious project being developed by the Saudi club. The club’s decision will be based on a broad technical and investment assessment, as well as the size of the fee proposed by Marseille.

The negotiations are also complicated by Bułka’s fitness situation. The goalkeeper suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury shortly after completing his move to Neom, and the damage kept him out of action for an extended period.

His recovery and current condition are therefore an important factor in the discussions, although the Saudi club have not yet reached a final decision on Marseille’s approach. Talks are expected to develop over the coming days.

Bułka has also been strongly linked with a move to Al Hilal this summer. The Saudi Arabian club have been considering him as a possible replacement for Morocco international Yassine Bounou, amid reports that Bounou could leave to join Italian club Juventus.

That interest means the goalkeeper’s situation has attracted attention from both inside and outside Saudi Arabia. Marseille’s proposal could now give Neom another option as they weigh whether to retain a player viewed as an important part of their sporting and investment strategy or agree a transfer to France.

For the moment, no agreement has been reached with either Olympique de Marseille or Al Hilal. Neom are continuing to study the formal offer from the French side while the wider uncertainty surrounding Bounou’s future keeps Bułka’s name in the frame as a potential target for Al Hilal.

The outcome will depend on the next stage of negotiations, the financial terms available to Neom and the club’s assessment of Bułka’s recovery after his long absence.