Premier League trio Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Villa are reportedly keen on Marseille’s Ligue 1 star Maxime Lopez.
In any other summer, Maxime Lopez would be worth far, far more than £10 million.
But Marseille, in the grip of Financial Fair Play, are desperate to raise funds, especially with the global health pandemic set to give their coffers a good kicking. That means one of France’s biggest clubs will be forced to sell some of their star players well below their market value.
Hence the £10 million price-tag.
The Star reports that Lopez has been offered to Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United while Aston Villa have been thrown into the mix by Estadio Deportivo.
And if fans of these three Premier League outfits had any concerns about the talent or ability of this little pocket rocket of a midfielder who could soon be packing his bags and heading across the Channel, leave it to Zinedine Zidane to calm those fears.
“I’ve known him for a very long time. Especially my kids, who know him very well – they played together in Aix-en-Provence,” the Real Madrid legend told Goal. “He always had this outstanding natural talent at his age and for his stature.
“It’s amazing what he’s doing, not just at his age, because today age means nothing, but mostly because of the personality he has in the game. In other words, he’s someone who runs a lot, but is someone who plays a lot and makes others play as well.”
Considering that Zidane has spent over 20 years surrounded by the most gifted players on the planet, he is well placed to pass judgement on a shining star he has been watching with awe since Lopez was a fresh-faced teenager dreaming of a future in the game.
At just 22, the academy graduate-turned-first team star is already the man who sets the tempo and dictates the play for a Marseille side on the verge of Champions League qualification for the first time in seven years.
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