OM – Longoria sets the tone: an ambitious transfer window to build in depth

New arrivals designed to keep up the pace

The season promises to be intense: Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and above all, the return to the Champions League. As soon as Rabiot left, Longoria quickly adjusted his plans. The stated objective: to give De Zerbi a deep squad, able to remain competitive on all fronts despite a packed schedule.

Twelve signings joined the blue and white house: Paixão, Aguerd, Medina, Vermeeren, Weah, Hamed Junior Traoré, Egan-Riley, Angel Gomes, Aubameyang, Emerson, Pavard, and O’Riley. A lineup mixing experience, attacking talent, and defensive versatility.

Rabiot’s departure, the turning point of the summer

Longoria doesn’t deny it: the Rabiot episode disrupted the initial strategy. Planned as the leader of the midfield, the former Parisian who left for Milan forced OM to rebuild in a hurry.

“When that happens, you have to ask yourself how to keep the squad competitive nonetheless,” explains the president, who responded with a variety of profiles and increased competition.

A midfield finally balanced

The guiding idea? Complementarity. Alongside Kondogbia, Højbjerg, or O’Riley—physical, box-to-box profiles—Longoria added creators (Gomes, Vermeeren, Bakola). The result: a more balanced midfield, capable of varying styles of play.

In defense too, the same logic applies: Pavard and Murillo provide flexibility both centrally and on the flanks, Weah can play as an attacking wingback, and Emerson offers an alternative to Quentin Merlin’s profile.

A clear philosophy

For Longoria, the summer of 2025 was not just about signing “big names,” but about narrowing the gap between starters and substitutes. With a 22-man competitive squad, OM aims to avoid overreliance on a few key players and ensure effective rotation.

The first verdict is coming

On Friday, against Lorient (4-0), new signings Pavard, Gomes, and Aguerd shone right away, confirming the coherence of the summer work. But the real test is already looming: the Santiago Bernabéu.

That’s where we’ll see if this transfer window, conceived in urgency but structured with ambition, can truly give OM the weapons to compete at the top.