Boubacar Kamara has still to decide whether he’ll leave Marseille at the end of his contract in the summer amid transfer interest from Newcastle United, as reported by Le10 Sport.
The Frenchman has spent his entire career at the Stade Velodrome but Les Phoceens are at risk of losing one of their most-prized home-grown jewels for nothing.
Kamara is determined to ply his trade somewhere where he feels he can continue to develop and challenge for trophies.
Marseille ran Paris Saint-Germain closest for the Ligue 1 title in 2019/20 but haven’t actually won it since 2009/10. Additionally, the 2011/12 Coupe de la Ligue remains their last trophy.
Kamara will have a wealth of suitors if he leaves Marseille, with Newcastle among those interested. Wolves, AC Milan, Atalanta and Napoli also admire the 22-year-old, who can play as a holding midfielder or centre-half.
However, he isn’t listening to speculation right now, with his agent handling the future. Instead, Kamara is giving Marseille his full focus after missing their last three league games.
“My representatives handle it all, but it’s confidential,” Kamara told Le10. “It’s not for me to express myself on that, it is my representatives who manage it all. I only focus on the field.
“What I want is to continue working and improving, win titles and work in good conditions. When I make my decision, I would be the first to say it. Have I made a decision? I’m still thinking.”
Reports by Calciomercato in October claimed Kamara rejected an offer to extend his contract with Marseille. La Lazio Siamo Noi also claimed Newcastle made Kamara an offer to join the Magpies in January.
Kamara explains summer transfer decision after snubbing Newcastle
Newcastle also explored a transfer this summer, per RMC Sport, but Kamara rejected their advances to stay at Marseille. He has now explained his decision to stay in southern France was down to a feeling of being forced out.
“It’s in the past,” he added. “What was hard was feeling like I didn’t have a choice, but I turned the page. After that, it didn’t just happen to me in the workforce.”
Newcastle offered Marseille €2.5m (£2m) for a year-long deal that featured a €15m (£13m) option to buy Kamara in August. OM wanted to cash in with his contract expiring as they needed the money, and the ongoing doubt remains a point of tension between the parties.
That’s why RMC Sport suspect the £46k-a-week ace refused to talk to the media last week, enraging his club. But Kamara has clarified the situation, insisting Marseille knew beforehand.
“I did not skip the press conference. The club knew about (missing it),” Kamara explained. “It’s strictly personal, it’s up to me and the club.”
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