Lille president Olivier Létang expressed strong criticism towards Olympique de Marseille following reports that the club had reached a personal agreement with Edon Zhegrova (26). His comments came during a press conference held after the UEFA Europa League draw.
Earlier news indicated that “Les Phocéens” and the Lille winger had agreed on personal terms, with Zhegrova reportedly prepared to sign a five-year contract. It was understood that Marseille`s final step was to finalize the transfer agreement with Lille OSC.
However, Létang issued a stern statement, conveying his disappointment with Marseille`s handling of the potential transfer. He told reporters:
I am surprised because we have had no communication with Marseille. The regulations are quite explicit; you cannot contact a player from another club without prior authorization. To this day, I have not received any official request from Marseille to engage with my player. I learned this morning that the Marseille coach had spoken with my player. It`s astonishing, but with Marseille, we are never short of unexpected events.
On the same day, Lille learned their opponents for the upcoming Europa League group stage. The club will host Dinamo Zagreb, PAOK, Freiburg, and SK Brann, while facing AS Roma, Red Star Belgrade, Young Boys, and Celta de Vigo in away matches. Létang light-heartedly remarked, “It`s a long journey to Istanbul,” referring to the venue for the final.
