Ligue 1 giants Olympique de Marseille are reportedly interested in securing the services of Miralem Pjanic from Barcelona.
As per a report by French outlet Foot 01, Miralem Pjanic is the subject of interest from Marseille over a possible move in the summer transfer window. But the Barcelona midfielder’s €6 million-a-year wages could put off the Ligue 1 outfit, with Blaugrana ready to offload the Bosnian international ahead of the 2022/23 season.
Miralem Pjanic joined Barcelona from Juventus in a convoluted deal that saw Arthur head the other way nearly two years ago. But the transfer has not worked out as envisioned for the experienced midfielder, who was a bit-part player in his debut campaign with Barcelona.
After the Bosnian international’s struggles in the 2020/21 season, the Blaugrana loaned him out to Besiktas last summer. Pjanic has fared decently for the Turkish giants, turning out 26 times while chipping in with four assists. But Besiktas will not sign the 32-year-old permanently, leaving FC Barcelona in a spot of bother over his situation.
There are a few options for Barcelona to consider, especially with interest stemming from Serie A clubs, particularly Napoli. The Blaugrana could include Pjanic in the deal to sign priority defensive target Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer transfer window. But Marseille might give Barcelona an alternative to that solution.
The Ligue 1 giants are ready to enter the UEFA Champions League next season and will need to have a strong squad to be competitive. And following Boubacar Kamara’s move to Aston Villa, Pjanic has emerged as a viable target for Marseille to bolster the midfield unit.
But Pjanic’s €6 million-a-year wages could put off Marseille, thus putting a spanner in the works for Barcelona. So the best solution might be to pounce on Napoli’s interest in the 32-year-old midfielder by offering him as part of the deal to sign Koulibaly and kill two birds with one stone.
Another possible solution might be Pjanic agreeing to pocket lower wages than his current pay package. If that materialises, the Bosnian international will return to Ligue 1 for the first time in over a decade while ending his frustrating stint with Barcelona after two excruciating years.
