Marseille president Pablo Longoria has opened up on Bamba Dieng’s ‘very difficult summer’ after the Senegal international after an £8 million move to Premier League outfit Leeds United collapsed at the eleventh hour, speaking to Provence.
Leeds went into the final day of the summer transfer window hoping to sign two exciting young attackers. They ended up with none. Albeit not for a lack of trying.
Director of football Victor Orta returned from the Netherlands all alone on deadline day, Cody Gakpo opting to stay put at PSV rather than embark upon a new challenge at Elland Road. Dieng, meanwhile, jilted Jesse Marsch at the altar after realising that his heart belonged to OGC Nice instead.
There was a further twist in the tale, of course; Dieng failing his medical at Nice before returning to Marseille with his tail between his legs.
Bamba Dieng stuck at Marseille after Leeds United interest
“We said it since the day he returned (from Nice); he had a very difficult summer,” Longoria says of Dieng, who made his first appearance of 2022/23 with a six-minute cameo during the 3-0 beating of Angers last time out.
“Every time there is a change (in circumstances), you have to adapt. Some players do it right away, others longer. Since what happened on the last day of the transfer window, he has been training very well.
“The natural consequence is that he has found playing time. Afterwards, it is up to the coach to make his decisions.”
22-year-old Dieng, an explosive finisher with a cannon of a right foot, scored eight times during an impressive breakthrough campaign at Marseille in 2021/22. Leeds also missed out on the likes of Arnaut Kalimuendo and Charles de Ketelaere during a rather mixed transfer window, with Patrick Bamford and Joe Gelhardt still the only senior centre-forwards at Marsch’s disposal.
Leeds are currently 12th in the Premier League table despite winning just two of seven games.
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