Reminder of the facts: Baky Koné wishes to join Olympique de Marseille. Baky Koné had been given the green light to leave since last season. In summary, if the Ivorian striker wants to leave OGC Nice, the club’s management would allow it. They have set one condition: he can leave if and only if the purchasing club pays an amount “at market value.” It is this term that is causing all the problems. For Baky Koné, the market value corresponds to 8 million Euros, which is “his value” at the time of last summer’s negotiation. For Maurice Cohen, this value has changed over the year: “Last year, Baky scored eight goals in 33 matches; this season, it’s 14 goals in 30 games, including a penalty that hit the post and another given to Ederson in the last match.” Another factor that, in Maurice Cohen’s eyes, increases the Ivorian’s value: a club has offered much more than OM. Thus, the 8.5 million, with an additional 1 million in case of participation in the Champions League, is deemed insufficient by Maurice Cohen. Pape Diouf had made his final offer. For Maurice Cohen, it’s definitive: Koné will not go to OM.
The player was very evasive during interviews. He decided to respond this Wednesday on his website. He uses strong words. Excerpt: “Mr. Maurice Cohen alone decides the definition of this formula (note: market value). We signed a bilateral contract, and unilateral decisions are made… What intelligent formula was used to define my market value? Is it a figure pulled out of nowhere? What reference is used? All these questions remain unanswered to this day…[…] I feel like I’m living a bad nightmare. I constantly wonder when the Nice staff I knew will wake up, regain their senses, and realize that if someone took a wrong path, they need to look at the path they’re on, which doesn’t match the roadmap we wrote together. […] With this intervention, I wanted to express my position to date and correct some falsehoods. I deplore the situation my club is currently imposing on me, and I don’t understand their process of casting me as the ‘bad boy.’ Is it because of my choice? Do they not appreciate Olympique de Marseille? Would they have acted differently if I had wanted to join another club?”
Maurice Cohen does not wish to escalate and simply responds: “This morning, I was not ashamed to look at myself in the mirror.” He concludes: “Baky Koné has gastroenteritis. He has reconnected with Roger Ricort. He will be at training in Nice on Monday.”
Episode to be continued…
