When Paris Saint-Germain fell to FC Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League final, Olympique de Marseille forward Dimitri Payet uploaded a video on Twitter to troll capital club supporters.
Despite Payet trying to play up his antics to the Marseille crowd, plenty of PSG supporters were in his mentions reminding him of the time he wanted to head to Paris in 2011. The 33-year-old’s agent, Jacques-Olivier Auguste, pulled the curtain to explain the failed transfer details in an interview with Téléfoot (via RMC Sport).
In 2011, Les Parisiens were under a takeover by Qatar Sports Investment and were about to get an infusion of money to improve the squad. With new ownership came change at the sporting director role, and in came Leonardo for his first stint with his former club.
Auguste explained that during the transition from Alain Roche and Leonardo at sporting director is where the transfer from AS Saint-Étienne to PSG fell by the wayside.
“It was around June 27, 2011: we discuss with Alain Roche. He tells us that he was no longer going to be sports director from June 30 and that it was going to be Leonardo. As we had not spoken with Leonardo, we said to ourselves that it was not good,” Auguste said.
“As long as the current sporting director wanted him, but was only there for three days and we had no news from the new sporting director. That was not the situation. no longer ‘secure’ for him, and neither do I.”
Perhaps Leonardo not wanting him still leaves a sour feeling in Payet and will continue to lash out whenever he can against PSG. Payet faces the capital club next Sunday in another installment of Le Classique.
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