60-goal Algerian Striker: Marseille Couldn’t Meet My €15m Release Clause

Algeria’s 2018 top scorer Baghdad Bounedjah reveals he wouldn’t have renewed his contract in Qatar had Marseille or Nice matched his €15m release clause.

Clubs in the French Ligue 1 have been front-runners among a queue of sides scampering for his acquisition.

Nice and Lille made enquires about the player’s availability this January but it’s Marseille who lodged a serious bid in spite of Leicester City’s ambition to make a last-gasp attempt to gazump the deal.

But Bounedjah, voted Algeria’s best player this month for boisterous performances last year, says he would have headed to France had any of the aforesaid Ligue 1 outfits activated his release clause.

“To be honest with you, there are several parameters that came into play. I was under contract until 2021 and my club set my release clause at 15 million euros. Also, the teams (Marseille mostly) in particular who came forward were not able to pay this amount to have me released,” the 27-year-old tells an Algerian Arabic publication, saying he didn’t want to agitate for a move out of respect for his current club Al Sadd.

A little known goal-getter months ago until his 60-goal feat last year which surpassed even goal-addicts Messi and Ronaldo, the Algerian will be one of those to look out for when the Africa Cup of Nations tees off.

Adding to his individual trophy haul, Baghdad also scooped the domestic and Asian Champions League golden boots.