Alexis Sánchez’s Marseille future to depend on Champions League qualification

The importance of Alexis Sánchez for Marseille this season was once again on show in their unlikely last-gasp win in Lyon on Sunday night, the Chilean being the catalyst for both goals to take Igor Tudor’s men back up to second place.

Although often isolated in a lone striker position, the former Arsenal and Barcelona man is often the difference-maker through his commitment to pressing opposition defences and his technical palette – and has also impressed those at the club with his high standards and professionalism.

However, the Chilean international, who is the team’s top scorer this season with 12 goals, only signed an initial one-year contract when he arrived on a free transfer from Inter in the summer.

According to L’Équipe, talks over a contract extension have not yet been opened – whether or not the team is in the Champions League next season will be decisive, both in terms of Sánchez’s ambitions as well as the club’s potential financial reach. Marseille themselves are confident of the prospect of extending the 34-year-old, while the forward himself is settled in France’s second city. Ligue 1’s second-placed side have the upper hand for the time being, amid reports of a return to River Plate or a move to Galatasaray, but whether they finish on the Ligue 1 podium will be the most important factor.

GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin