Marseille are frustrated with how the summer unfolded for Boubacar Kamara and fear the midfielder will leave for free next year after rejecting Newcastle United, per RMC Sport.
The Toon made a last-ditch play to sign the Frenchman on loan with negotiations held on Deadline Day. United offered to pay OM €2.5m (£2m) for a year-long deal that featured a €15m (£13m) option to purchase Kamara. The clause featured easily achievable terms.
Newcastle and Marseille continued to thrash out the terms of any proposed move while they waited on Kamara’s decision. The Ligue 1 giants had to sell an important player under pressure from the National Management Control Department, or risk them blocking deals.
But Kamara chose against joining Newcastle as the versatile Marseille star wants to be in control of his own destiny. The 21-year-old is out of contract next summer and did not want to rush or feel forced into a decision.
Marseille now question if Kamara will sign a new contract, having expected their academy graduate to extend if he stayed. There were also high expectations in southern France that good European offers would arrive for the U21 international. Yet very few clubs eventually explored deals to sign the Marseille-born anchor, who OM actively put in the shop window.
The Stade Velodrome hierarchy are now frustrated with how the summer unfolded as they fear Kamara leaving for free. He can start to discuss pre-contracts with foreign sides from January. Potentially ending his relationship with Les Phoceens that began aged just six.
Newcastle, meanwhile, eventually failed to strengthen Steve Bruce’s midfield after Kamara elected to stay at Marseille. They also failed to sign Hamza Choudhury on loan from Leicester, which The Telegraph (31/8, 21:36) claim mystified United staff.
Will Newcastle share Marseille frustration at Kamara ordeal?
Newcastle will likely share Marseille’s frustration at the Kamara ordeal after he rejected their offer to join Bruce’s side. The Frenchman would have been a superb addition to the Toon engine room if he had accepted moving to Tyneside.
Kamara would also have given Bruce an option he could field in central defence to play out from the back. But more importantly, a top young talent who thrives at winning possession by pressuring opponents, intercepting play and battling hard.
Former Marseille star Rolando also expected great things to follow Kamara. He told RMC Sport: “This kid is a phenomenon. When he started training with us [in the first-team], he was 15-years-old. And from the first day, I said: ‘This little one is going to be a great player’.
“He’s the kind of centre-back that I love. He is full of qualities, and, above all, he works, he listens. It is out of the ordinary. I already told him: ‘In a few years, you will invite me to go see your matches for the France team and I can say that I played with you when you were 15-years-old’. I am sure and certain. He is very good, besides being a good person.”
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