Leeds United target Azzedine Ounahi set to join Marseille | OneFootball

Leeds United target Azzedine Ounahi is on the verge of joining Ligue 1 side Olympique Marseille, according to RMC Sport.

The Angers midfielder is one of the most sought-after players this month, with the French club resigned to losing him amid their relegation battle.

Ounah, made his mark with Morocco at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, helping his nation become the first African side to reach the semi-finals, and is not short on suitors this month.

Premier League clubs Leeds, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City, along with Serie A league leaders Napoli are hot on his heels.

Leeds and Napoli were first on the scene, with the Lilywhites outbidding the Italian giants, but Ounahi was not keen on joining Jesse Marsch’s side, who are a stone’s throw away from the relegation zone.

Despite sitting in 15th place in the table, Leeds are just one point above 18th-placed Bournemouth, and leaving one relegation-threatened team for the other did not appeal to the World Cup star.

Napoli were reportedly hoping to agree a deal in principle for Ounahi and then send him back to Angers on loan until the end of the season, but that did not pan out.

With Angers struggling to maintain top-flight status, a January sale seemed inevitable, and Marseille are now on the brink of sealing a deal for the youngster.

Marseille and Angers have agreed a fee worth €10 million, and the French giants are preparing a four-year contract for the midfielder.

The offer is considerably lesser than what the other interested parties initially tabled, so it remains to be seen what gave Marseille the upper hand in negotiations.