Olympique Marseille are reportedly set to make Ismaël Bennacer’s loan move from AC Milan permanent at the end of the season, although the future of head coach Roberto De Zerbi could prove decisive in determining whether the midfielder remains at the Vélodrome.
The Algeria international joined the Ligue 1 side during the winter transfer window in a deal worth €1 million, which also included a €12 million option to buy.
Bennacer has quickly established himself as a regular in De Zerbi’s side, featuring in eight of the nine Ligue 1 matches he has been eligible for since arriving at OM, and starting on six occasions.
Olympique Marseille make stance on Bennacer but De Zerbi’s future could affect plans
According to Calciomercato.com, the French club appears inclined to trigger the buy option to retain Bennacer permanently, with both sporting director Mehdi Benatia and De Zerbi among his strongest supporters within the club.
However, the operation could be jeopardised by a potential departure of De Zerbi at the end of the season—a possibility that cannot be entirely ruled out due to the recurring tensions between the coach and the club’s environment in recent months.
From Milan’s perspective, there is hope that Marseille will confirm their intention to complete the transfer before the end of the loan spell, particularly after the Rossoneri were left unimpressed by the pressure Bennacer reportedly applied to secure his exit from San Siro in the final hours of the last transfer window.
