AFCON Star Abdeli Chooses Marseille Over La Liga, Signs a Five-Year Deal
7 January 2026
Abdeli with Algeria
Olympique de Marseille has reached an agreement with Algerian international Himad Abdeli, who plays for Angers, to sign him during the current winter transfer window, subject to a few conditions tied to the club’s financial situation.
According to the French radio network Radio Monte Carlo, Marseille has offered Abdeli a five-year contract after the player was convinced by the club’s sporting project, with a strong influence from Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi.
The 26-year-old midfielder has told other clubs with significant interest, including Olympique Lyonnais and Sevilla, that his preference is to join Marseille and that he would like the move to be completed during this winter window.
Even with an agreement in principle, Marseille’s management must balance the books by selling several players, in line with the policy reiterated by club president Pablo Longoria, aimed at easing financial pressures while staying competitive.
Abdeli with Algeria
Abdeli is currently part of Algeria’s squad at AFCON 2025, where he played the full match against Equatorial Guinea (3-0) and featured for more than 70 minutes against the Democratic Republic of Congo (1-0 after extra time).
His contract with Angers runs until June, and he has appeared 119 times for the club, scoring 20 goals and delivering six assists; this season he has taken part in 13 Ligue 1 games.
Bottom line: Marseille bets on a technically gifted 26-year-old who has shone for Algeria on the AFCON stage, potentially boosting the French club’s midfield options for the coming years.
Punchline 1: If this transfer hits the target, Marseille just upgraded the midfield with surgical precision—sniper’s choice, not a roulette wheel.
Punchline 2: And if it doesn’t, at least we’ve got a winter soap opera that finally has some substance—less drama, more football, more coffee breaks for fans.
