U.S. men’s national team winger Tim Weah’s agent has come out and blasted Juventus for holding up a summer transfer to Olympique Marseille.
Weah has been linked with a move to Marseille this summer after turning down a proposed deal to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. The former Paris Saint-Germain and Lille player is thought to be prioritizing a return to France ahead of a pivotal season preparing to fight for a starting role in Mauricio Pochettino’s side at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The USMNT forward, who was absent from the Concacaf Gold Cup squad this summer amid club commitments for the FIFA Club World Cup, is in transfer limbo given the French side won’t budge from an offer of €15 million ($17.6 million), The Athletic reports. The 25-year-old made just one appearance in the Club World Cup coming off the bench in Juventus’s group stage opener against Al Ain.
Badou Sambague, Weah’s agent, released a statement of frustration amid stalling transfer talks.
“Juve is a fantastic club,” he told The Athletic. “The sporting department is managed by three persons. Two have class, and another is still searching himself [sic]. We cannot blame him. Two are looking for solutions, and one is creating problems. And we can’t let that go.
“Tim Weah, is always professional, was left out during the [Club] World Cup. This person botched his [Club] World Cup, tried to force him to go where he wanted. Today, as revenge, he’s demanding a fortune and waiting for a Premier League offer that won’t come and will never be approved by us.
“These are old-fashioned methods that won’t sit well with me. I’m not used to speaking out, but not doing so today would be accepting the unacceptable and total disrespect. Class can’t be bought for a manager, that’s for sure, but it has always been part of the history of Juventus. One person is undermining that. Let’s see...”
The player’s side believes an offer was previously accepted by Juventus general manager Damien Comolli, but the club are now thought to be pushing for a €20 million ($23.5 million) figure. Both teams involved in the transfer are competing in the Champions League this upcoming season, but Weah is reportedly interested in playing for Roberto De Zerbi in Marseille.
Weah has three years left on his Juventus contract and seemingly is upset by a missed opportunity to represent his country and impress Pochettino in the Gold Cup.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Total Disrespect’—USMNT International’s Agent Slams Juventus for Stalled Transfer.