Ounahi and three others dropped from Marseille’s pre-season squad

Olympique de Marseille have omitted four African players from their pre-season squad ahead of the 2025/26 French Ligue 1 season.

Marseille’s Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi kicked off preparations for the new season without Moroccan midfielder Azzedine Ounahi, Cameroon duo Faris Moumbagna and Simon Ngapandouetnbu, and Ivorian player Bamo Meïté.

The four players have been instructed to train with the reserve squad as their imminent departure now looks certain.

Ounahi joined the Southern France side from Angers after impressing in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he was a standout performer for Morocco. Ounahi spent the 2024/25 season at Greek side Panathinaikos. He reportedly declined a move to Russian side Spartak Moscow.

Moumbagna, 25, joined Marseille from Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt. The striker tore his anterior cruciate ligament and missed the 2024/25 league season. Goalkeeper Ngapandouetnbu has been on the books of Marseille since 2019. The backup goalie spent the 2024/25 season at Nîmes.

Meïté left Marseille due to a lack of playing time. The defender was playing for Montpellier in Ligue 1 last season. The four players are said to be deemed surplus by De Zerbi. The former Brighton coach wants the club to offload them, as they are not in his plans for the upcoming season.