In a few days, OM managed to convince the English defender CJ Egan Riley to sign, free from any contract. A new masterclass orchestrated by Medhi Benatia.
Photo credit: ICON SPORT
Since he took office at OM, Medhi Benatia has been sparkling. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Mason Greenwood, Adrien Rabiot or even more recently Ismaël Bennacer, it is him from A to Z. And for the 2025 summer transfer window, which opens its doors in a few hours, the Marseille sports director does not change the gear. With the arrival of CJ Egan Riley, free from any contract, Benatia offers a new masterclass.
Jonathan Rowe's intermediary
First courted by Strasbourg (whose owners are the same as those of Chelsea), CJ Egan Riley also had many keys in England. After being elected in the type team of Championship season 2024-2025, alongside French Maxime Estève (the duo only conceded 16 goals with Burnley!), English hope was crumbling under calls. But Medhi Benatia was clever. In selection, CJ Egan Riley rubs shoulders with a certain Jonathan Rowe… According to the team, the Marseillais was decisive in this file: “We do not know if Jonathan Rowe already imagines his post-carrier in advice or lobbying. He is probably too young for that, at only 22 years old. But the OM winger took advantage of the preparation with the English selection hopes before the Euro of the category to rent the qualities of his club with one of his teammates, CJ Egan-Riley ”.
Guardiola and Kompany as mentors
Trained in Manchester City, bottled at the Guardiola school, CJ Egan Riley was seduced by the prospect of working under the orders of one of his heirs, Roberto de Zerbi. The Italian often takes up the game precepts of the Espanol and this parentage seems to have weighed. But that's not all … If Cj Egan Riley signed in Burnley, it is because Vincent Kompany was the coach. Mentor of the young English defender, the current coach of Bayern Munich knows well Medhi Benatia. The two men have already been called on several occasions in recent months, lately to evoke the Mathys dossier Tel. The Marseille sports director would also have used his excellent relationship with Vincent Kompany to seduce CJ Egan Riley. An arrival at zero euro for a talent that could quickly be worth more than 20 million euros after a few games in the Marseille jersey. Masterclass…
