Posted December 21, 2021 at 8:10 pm by DM
A true legend at OM, Steve Mandanda is said to have requested a meeting with Jorge Sampaoli in order to discuss his situation. At the end of it, the goalkeeper will make a decision about his future.
Appointed coach of OM last March, Jorge Sampaoli asked Pablo Longoria to recruit a goalkeeper capable of competing with 36-year-old Steve Mandanda . The Argentinian technician was listened to since Pau Lopez put his bags down in Marseille during the last summer transfer window. On loan from AS Roma , the Spanish goalkeeper quickly managed to get rid of the competition from Mandanda, who wonders about his future. According to RMC Sport, the France international could consider leaving OM if his playing time does not change. Present at a press conference, Sampaoli was questioned about this sensitive issue: “Personally, he did not tell me anything, he did not express any concerns to me on this subject. So it's more up to him to answer that ”. Journalist for RMC, Florent Germain took stock of the future of Mandanda , linked to OM until 2024.
“A departure cannot be ruled out”
“Steve Mandanda's departure is a possibility. There is going to be a meeting between Steve Mandanda and Jorge Sampaoli. His agent will also be present. Steve Mandanda wants to make a point. He wants to go back and understand how he came down through the hierarchy of goalkeepers. Pau López starts for the first time against Monaco and Mandanda learns it on match day at the last moment so he wants to understand how this choice was made. If he's really become a number 2, he wants to hear it from Jorge Sampaoli and then make a decision on his future. He obviously saw it as a bit of disrespect for having no explanation. If Sampaoli tells him “Pau Lopez is better than you, I prefer to play with him, you are more number 2”, Steve Mandanda will ask himself the right questions. Indeed, a departure cannot be ruled out. Steve Mandanda still craves more playing time. It’s not in your mind to be like “Okay, let’s take it easy…”. He has 2 and a half years of contract left, it's not as if he has 6 months or a year and a half to do, he is under contract until 2024. He is still hungry, he does not tell himself that the high level is over for him. There are bound to be clubs that follow this with attention. A Mandanda does not leave you indifferent. The question of a departure may arise “said Florent Germain during the After Marseille podcast on RMC.