Former EA Guingamp president Bertrand Desplat claims that Lillian Thuram blocked a deal that would have sent his son Marcus to Marseille, rather than Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer of 2019.

In an interview with 20 Minutes, Desplat says Marseille made a richer offer for the now-23-year-old France international, but the elder Thuram believed a move to the Bundesliga would be better for his long-term development.

“When he wanted to leave the club, OM were offering him terms that where slightly better than what was being offered by Gladbach.

But Lilian thought about it and we joined him because he argued things incredibly well – that the German project was more interesting for his son, because Gladbach and the Bundesliga was a favourable jumping up point to the highest level. What followed shows that he was correct.”