Wesley Fofana Reveals Tempting Summer Offer from Marseille Amid Chelsea Struggles and Injury Setbacks
Wesley Fofana has disclosed that he considered leaving Chelsea this summer after receiving a heartfelt offer from his hometown club, Marseille.
Fofana, 23, was one of Chelsea’s most expensive signings under co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, joining in August 2022 for £80 million after impressing at Leicester City. However, his time at Chelsea has been disrupted by three separate knee injuries, which have caused him to miss over 70 games in his first two seasons at Stamford Bridge.
Despite being back in the starting lineup under new manager Enzo Maresca, Fofana’s future at Chelsea seemed uncertain earlier this summer.
In July, Chelsea teammate Enzo Fernandez faced controversy after filming himself and fellow Argentina players singing a racist chant about France’s players of African descent.
Fofana reacted by posting on social media platform X, calling it “uninhibited racism” and unfollowing Fernandez on Instagram.
Fofana later explained that after a conversation with Fernandez, he accepted the apology, acknowledging that his teammate did not understand the hurt caused by the chant. “We talked. I explained why I didn’t like the video,” Fofana told reporters. “He apologized because he didn’t mean to hurt French fans or anyone. He didn’t understand the impact of singing it. I trust him; I know he’s not racist. The video was bad, but it wasn’t just him—it involved the Argentinian team. It became a bigger story because we play in the same club, but now it’s resolved.”
Despite this resolution, Fofana admitted that Marseille’s offer made him reflect on his future. “It touched me,” he said, referring to the offer from Marseille’s sporting director, Mehdi Benatia. “I would be lying if I said I didn’t consider it. But my current goal is to succeed at Chelsea, play regularly, and establish myself.”
🚨 Wesley FOFANA aurait pu signer à l'OM cet été ! 🔵⚪️
— Free FOOT (@FreeFoot) September 11, 2024
"J'ai eu un appel de Mehdi Benatia et ça m'a touché. Je suis supporter de l'Olympique de Marseille, mais pour l'instant, je veux réussir à Chelsea." #OM #TeamOM pic.twitter.com/pAS4dCvHK0
Though Fofana chose to stay at Chelsea, he hasn’t ruled out a move to Marseille in the future. “We’ll see one day,” he added. “I have a contract until 2029, but I’ve never hidden the fact that Marseille is my city, my club, and I am a supporter of OM.”
Wesley Fofana Reveals Tempting Summer Offer from Marseille Amid Chelsea Struggles and Injury Setbacks
