Marseille near agreement with former OGC Nice defender Youcef Atal

Olympique de Marseille are nearing an agreement with former OGC Nice defender Youcef Atal (28), according to a report from RMC Sport. 

Atal left Nice in January. His departure came in the wake of being found guilty of provoking racial hatred, which earned him an eight-month suspended prison sentence, as well as a €45,000 fine. Initially suspended by the LFP and by his own club, he was theoretically available for selection once he returned from AFCON duty with Algeria, however, with six months remaining on his deal and amid the controversy, Atal left to join Adana Demirspor on a short-term deal.

“After everything that happened to me in France, I needed a change of scenery and to discover something new,” he told So Foot in the wake of his departure. However, with his contract at Adana Demirspor having now expired, Atal could now be returning to France.

RMC Sport understands that negotiations between the player and Marseille are advancing positively and whilst there remain details to be sorted, the Algeria international could join OM soon.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle