Chelsea FC – Olympique Marseille Partnership In The Works
British press are today reporting that Chelsea FC are looking to form a partnership with French club Olympique Marseille that would see some of Chelsea’s top prospects make the jump across the Channel to Ligue 1. The two clubs’ most recent business was when the Blues purchased fullback Cesar Azpilicueta from Marseille in 2012.
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Similar to what the Blues already have in place with Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem, the partnership will allow Jose Mourinho to send some of his brightest youngsters over to France in order for them to gain quality first team playing time and experience.
Marseille President Vincent Labrune has said that he has met with Chelsea’s Technical Director Michael Emenalo to discuss the affiliation, sharing dinner after the FA Youth Cup final.
‘I told him a club like Marseille was very interested to build something with a club like Chelsea and have some of the young players on loan,’ Labrune stated.
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This partnership has been mooted on the back of serious interest on the French club’s behalf to bring in Chelsea’s Charly Musonda on loan. Musonda is an 18 year old attacking midfielder and has been touted in some corners as the club’s ‘most intriguing, exciting youth prospect’. Bearing this in mind, both clubs feel that such a relationship would be mutually beneficial.
While Chelsea’s agreement with Vitesse has been somewhat controversial, it has allowed the West London club to send some of the players not quite ready for senior team football abroad to ply their trade. At one point Vitesse had as many as six Blues players in their squad. A deal with Marseille would see the youngsters line up in a better team and in an arguably better league.
While Kurt Zouma looks set to have a sizeable role next season, the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Nathan Aké may not and thus if Marseille are willing to take them (why would they not?) these players will be able to continue on their upwards path. This could also be an option for some of the non-European Union players that will be sent on loan but cannot come to England as France has less stringent work permit rules than the English FA.
So, is the development of a US style farm system something you want to see? Or should the footballing authorities clamp down on these sorts of agreements? Sound off in the comments below!
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