Olympique de Marseille has seen two offers for striker Matthis Abline, aged 22, rejected by FC Nantes.
The forward, who scored nine goals in Ligue 1 during the recent season, is reportedly a player highly appreciated by the Marseille management. They value his mobility and potential to complement or rotate with Amine Gouiri, who is expected to be a key player under the new coach Roberto De Zerbi next season.
Marseille`s initial bid was valued at €12 million plus an additional €3 million in performance-related bonuses. This was followed by a second proposal of €15 million, proposed to be paid in four instalments. However, under the direction of the Kita family, Nantes deemed both offers insufficient. The club`s stance is that they are seeking a significant transfer fee should Abline depart this summer and consider the figures presented by Marseille to be considerably below their internal valuation.
Abline, originally a player from Stade Rennais, spent the past season on loan at Nantes. During his time there, he established himself as one of the more promising attacking talents in Ligue 1 and became a regular fixture in Thierry Henry’s France U21 national team.
In related transfer news, Crystal Palace player Jean-Philippe Mateta has reportedly been offered to Marseille. However, his current wage demands and transfer fee are considered to be beyond OM`s reach at this moment.
Despite the rejections, Marseille is anticipated to submit a revised offer in the coming days. Nonetheless, Nantes appears to be adopting a firm negotiating stance, and the pursuit of Abline could potentially attract interest from other clubs, particularly those from abroad.
