Football
Mark Rodden 8y

Steve Mandanda to stay with Marseille until the end of the season

Marseille captain Steve Mandanda has ended speculation over his immediate future by announcing that he will not be seeking a move away from the club this month.

Mandanda, 30, is out of contract this summer and Turkish Super Lig leaders Besiktas and Aston Villa appeared to be leading the chase to sign the goalkeeper in January.

Liverpool, Newcastle, Norwich and Roma were also linked with France's second-choice keeper, but Marseille president Vincent Labrune told RMC earlier this week that the player would be staying put.

Mandanda corroborated Labrune's comments on Thursday, releasing a statement on his social media accounts to confirm that he would not be bringing a premature end to his eight-year stay in the south of France.

"My agent received offers from different clubs in order to leave this January," his statement read. "We studied these proposals, I weighed up the pros and the cons of what is best for me.

"And this is what has come out of it -- I've decided to stay at Olympique de Marseille until the end of the season. One of the main reasons that pushed me today is my fondness for Marseille.

"I have responsibilities, I'm captain... My adventure with Olympique de Marseille is not a simple one. It's a history, a part of my life that I built here.

"I don't know what my future will hold but what matters to me today is that I start the second half of this season with my teammates, to carry out my role as captain and goalkeeper of OM to the best of my ability."

The news comes as another boost to Marseille in the same week that top scorer Michy Batshuayi and France under-21 left-back Benjamin Mendy both extended their contracts with the club.

Marseille are currently 10th in Ligue 1 but they will face Toulouse in the quarterfinals of the Coupe de la Ligue next week and Athletic Bilbao in the last 32 of the Europa League next month.

Mandanda also helped Marseille clear the first hurdle in the Coupe de France last weekend, saving three penalties as his team beat fellow Ligue 1 side Caen following a shootout.

^ Back to Top ^