Loaned-out Man City defender reveals intention to seal permanent exit

Manchester City defender Issa Kabore says he does want to return to the Etihad, and instead stay at loan club Marseille.

Since arriving from Belgian side Mechelen in 2020, the right-back is yet to earn his first team debut. Instead, the 21-year-old has been loaned out to his former club, as well as French outfit Troyes, in the intervening years.

The Burkina Faso international has been loaned out again for the season, this time to Marseille, after being deemed not yet up to standard by Pep Guardiola. The loan deal has an option-to buy clause despite Kabore — who cost City £4m — having less than three years left on his City contract.

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The player described his move to Marseille as a “dream” and admitted that his plan is to avoid a return to Manchester. As per La Provence, he said: “The idea is to play and to stay at Marseille. It’s not to return to Manchester City.

“Marseille are a great club that are going to bring a lot to me. We discussed a bit with Charles (Kaboré, his cousin and Ligue 2 footballer) before my transfer. It counted but not that much.

“It was a dream to come here and I’m ready to give my best. On the left or on the right, it’s the same thing. I can play on both sides.”

Other Blues players to be loaned out this summer include goalkeeper Zack Steffen (to Middlesbrough), Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Burnley) and Liam Delap (Stoke).

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