Frank McCourt is considering selling Olympique de Marseille as heavy spending over a decade yields rising club valuations alongside sporting frustration, according to reports. The American businessman, who purchased the Ligue 1 club in October 2016 for €45 million while clearing its debts, has seen his total financial commitment swell to approximately $800 million—roughly €710 million—according to figures outlined by Le Phocéen.

Financial Growth and Escalating Valuation at Stade Velodrome

Despite persistent struggles on the pitch and limited appearances in the UEFA Champions League over the past ten years, OM’s overall commercial footprint has expanded significantly. Global annual revenues climbed from roughly €111 million during the 2015–2016 campaign to €188.7 million for the 2024–2025 financial year, representing a 70 percent increase. Matchday ticket receipts nearly doubled over the same timeframe, rising from €15.8 million to €30.3 million, while sponsorship inflows reached €71.7 million in 2025 compared to €28.9 million at the time of the initial takeover. Brand Finance Football also positioned the OM brand 26th globally in its 2025 valuations. Since his arrival in Marseille, Frank McCourt has regularly had to put money back into the club’s coffers, particularly to cover deficits.

Behind the scenes, however, friction has developed over how those massive funds were utilized. While McCourt’s inner circle maintains there is unwavering support from the ownership, advisers acknowledge a distinct weariness regarding the return on investment, as RMC Sport reported. According to RMC Sport, McCourt was notably very critical of Pablo Longoria’s management before deciding to cut expenses. Advisers indicate that McCourt will speak publicly when he has formal announcements to make, though individuals within French football who have interacted with the owner recently note that a sale is a genuine option under consideration.

Television Rights Shortfalls and Changing Market Realities

The owner’s shift in posture is tied directly to macroeconomic disappointments within French club football. Romain Canuti, a specialist covering the club for Le Phocéen, explained on the YouTube program Thomas parle Foot that McCourt originally invested based on two core assumptions: a restructured Champions League format resembling closed American sports leagues and a boom in Ligue 1 domestic broadcasting rights projected to reach €1 billion annually, as reported by Foot01. He was also told within his inner circle that Ligue 1 television rights were going to change, that Canal+’s hegemony was going to stop, and that there would be the objective of €1 billion per year.

Instead, domestic television rights deals fell short of those projections, and the expanded European format did not deliver the financial security initially anticipated. L’entourage de Frank McCourt a tenté de renflouer les caisses grâce au marché saoudien, selon les sources. Football Club de Marseille reported that Frank McCourt’s entourage pushed until the end of the summer to wrap up sales in Saudi Arabia, but the timing of the market and Bruno Genesio’s tenacity ultimately did not lead OM to part ways with additional players.

Squad Restructuring and Upcoming Financial Audits

With winter transfer windows approaching, Marseille faces stringent financial controls designed to stabilize the wage bill ahead of a targeted audit by the Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion (DNCG) in December. Grégory Lorenzi et Stéphane Richard ont appliqué cette politique à la lettre en actant de nombreux départs (Greenwood, Balerdi, Timber, Aubameyang, Medina…) sans acheter un seul joueur en contrepartie, une politique financière qui ressemble à celle d’un homme qui souhaite s’en aller et vendre son club au plus vite. Internal targets aim for a healthier balance sheet by June 2027. High earners such as Geoffrey Kondogbia and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg remain central to discussions regarding potential squad reductions, while interest from clubs like Juventus persists for the Danish midfielder, according to Football Club de Marseille. A significant offer for Amine Gouiri or Nayef Aguerd could also make the management think, while departures of supplementary players, such as Neal Maupay or Faris Moumbagna, could also free up space in the squad.

Discussions regarding a formal sale remain dependent on finding an investor capable of meeting the financial valuation set by the American owner, who aims to recover a substantial portion of his historical outlay.