Mason Greenwood to lose a Marseille team-mate? Ligue 1 side won't trigger €12m Ismael Bennacer transfer clause as midfielder's poor form doesn't justify huge wage demands

Marseille are hesitant to exercise their buy option for on-loan player Ismael Bennacer, according to L'Equipe. Bennacer, who joined from AC Milan in January on a six-month loan, has a €12 million purchase clause. However, his high wage demands coupled with his poor form have acted as a roadblock for the deal

Bennacer saw his career trajectory go down due to a series of injuries that limited his playing time and affected his form. Although he was part of AC Milan’s Supercoppa Italiana win in Saudi Arabia, Bennacer quickly fell out of favour under head coach Sergio Conceicao.

So when his boyhood club, Marseille, came calling on Deadline Day of the winter transfer window, Bennacer agreed to a six-month loan move with an option to buy. However, things haven’t gone as planned in France. The Algerian international has managed just 650 minutes of action for Les Olympiens, and his high wage demands have raised doubts about a permanent transfer.

According to Capology, Bennacer was earning €3.8 million net per season at Milan and remains under contract with the Rossoneri until 2027.

Bennacer was announced as the best player of the 2019 African Cup of Nations when he helped his country, Algeria, to their second-ever Africa Cup of Nations title. The midfielder recorded three assists for Algeria in the tournament.

With the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season wrapping up on Sunday, Marseille’s second-place finish has secured them a spot in next season’s Champions League. The club now has until the end of June to decide Ismael Bennacer’s future, after which he will return to his parent club, AC Milan, if no permanent deal is agreed.