Why Inter will hope for strong Marseille finish in Ligue 1

Inter could be handed a financial boost depending on Ligue 1 side Olympique de Marseille’s league finish come the end of the 2023-24 season, in a move that could see loanee Joaquin Correa leave the Nerazzurri on a permanent basis.

Correa left Inter for Marseille on a season-long loan deal towards the end of the summer transfer window in August 2023, which came at a cost of €2m for the French side. Alexis Sanchez also returned to San Siro from Marseille for a reported fee of €2.8m the following day.

Though Correa has only featured in 10 of a possible 26 Ligue 1 matches this season, Marseille will be obliged to purchase the Argentine outright if they finish the 2023-24 season in the top four spots.

If Marseille do reach the Champions League positions, Correa’s move will automatically be made permanent at a cost of €10m, which will certainly come in handy for Inter’s accounting department.

Marseille have endured a relatively rough season, one that has seen former Italy World Cup winner Gennaro Gattuso appointed and then dismissed as head coach within a span of just five months.

The Ligue 1 outfit enjoyed an immediate upturn in form after Gattuso’s departure, scoring nine goals in two matches against Montpellier and Clermont in the weeks following, but have since slipped to 3-1 and 2-0 losses against Villarreal and Rennes prior to the international break.

They currently sit in seventh place, four points outside of the top four with eight league matches left to play in 2023-24.