What happened

Leonardo Balerdi has turned down a move to Bayer Leverkusen, rejecting a bid worth more than €25m plus bonuses that the German side lodged in the spring. The Argentine defender, who opened the campaign as Marseille's captain, was not won over by a return to the Bundesliga, and the transfer never materialized.

Marseille remain eager to raise money regardless. Mason Greenwood is now viewed as the club's most sellable asset, with AS Roma circling the former Manchester United forward.

Why it matters

Marseille are under real financial pressure after UEFA handed down a suspended sentence that spared them from European exclusion next season. If the books do not improve by next summer, the club faces an outright ban.

That deadline turns offloading high-value players from a luxury into a priority. Cashing in on a captain or a marquee forward is the cleanest path back to compliance.

By the numbers

Balerdi, 27, began the season wearing the armband and drew a bid north of €25m plus add-ons from Leverkusen. A calf injury rules him out of the World Cup despite his inclusion in Argentina's squad.

Greenwood, meanwhile, is described as a difficult player to move despite Roma's interest — a complication for a club that needs the cash sooner rather than later.

What to watch next

A Balerdi departure is still anticipated, but the ongoing World Cup is slowing any deal. The bigger question is whether Marseille can convert Roma's interest in Greenwood into the funds they need before next summer's deadline.