The liar poker game is at its peak in Marseille. According to information from Europe 1, the project carried out by the Franco-Tunisian businessman Mohamed Ajroudi for the acquisition of Olympique de Marseille is now complete. But the current owner, Frank McCourt, has made it clear that he does not want to part with the club. Can he finally change his mind and open negotiations?
>> Find all of Europe 1's editorial newspapers in replay and podcast here
Officially, the answer is always no on the American side. Joined in the evening of Thursday, the spokeswoman for Frank McCourt denied yet another intention of the businessman to separate from a club to which he is very attached. "There is no start of negotiations, as it may have been written, nor even the slightest contact," she said.
Zinedine Zidane at the heart of the project?
Meanwhile, Mohamed Ajroudi continues to advance his pawns. According to three sources contacted by Europe 1, the recovery project is complete, ready to be submitted to Frank McCourt if he wants to open the door. In an interview with Le Figaro , the Franco-Tunisian, present in France for a few days, ensures that the virtual organization chart could get to work tomorrow with Mourad Boudjellal in the president's costume. It makes white-hot supporters salivate by evoking personalities in love with OM, like Zinedine Zidane.
READ ALSO - Christophe Bouchet on the buyout of OM: "I have the intuition that McCourt would accept a nice offer"
Mohamed Ajroudi also brings some downsides. The amount he wants to invest with his associates is not 700 million euros. "We are far from it," he said, also explaining that he was in no rush. "We want to make a gentleman's agreement with the current owner. The figures will tell whether he will continue or give up." For now, at least in public, everyone is camping on their positions while the players peacefully continue their pre-season preparation in Portugal, far from the tumult.