What will it take for Marseille to settle its Moroccan puzzle? For Amine Harit, the answer looks financial. For Nayef Aguerd, it looks structural. Both cases involve money, trust, and timing, but they point to different problems inside the club.
Harit is under contract with OM until 2027, but his future depends on what happens after his loan spell at İstanbul Basaksehir ends in the summer of 2026. According to figures from Capology cited by specialist media, the midfielder earns around 3.1 million euros gross per year. That number is considered high under Marseille’s current salary structure. The club wants him to accept a significant pay cut if he is to remain part of the squad for the 2026-2027 season.
Harit, for his part, has reportedly made staying at OM his priority. The departures of Aubameyang, Greenwood and Traoré, along with Nwaneri’s return to Arsenal, have opened space in the attacking rotation. That vacancy works in Harit’s favor, especially after a season in Turkey described as positive for his development, one that has reinforced his standing as part of a rising generation of Atlas Lions talent. Reports suggest he would be willing to divide his salary to secure a return under the new coaching project. Basaksehir remains an alternative, with an option to make the move permanent, but only if wages are also lowered there. Interest from Turkish and Middle Eastern clubs has been mentioned since 2025, adding competition to the negotiation.
Aguerd’s situation is different in nature. Signed from West Ham for about 23 million euros in the summer of 2025, the 30-year-old defender has had a modest first season in Marseille: 16 Ligue 1 appearances and one goal. A contractual clause complicates matters further. If a club offers more than 15 million euros, OM must either accept the bid or double his salary, moving it from roughly 400,000 to 800,000 euros gross per month, close to 9.6 million euros a year.
Marseille’s handling of its Moroccan players carries added weight given the profile the national team has built internationally, with figures like Achraf Hakimi symbolizing the growing stature of Moroccan footballers on the world stage. Marseille now faces two contrasting dilemmas: convincing Harit to lower his salary to stay, and deciding whether keeping Aguerd is worth a major financial increase. Both cases will shape the club’s approach to its Moroccan contingent heading into next season.
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