OM’s Growing Youth Movement Under Roberto De Zerbi
Here’s a rundown of the players sparking the youth movement under manager Roberto De Zerbi, who have come from outside and from within the club’s youth academy.
Darryl Bakola (17 years old)
After making two first-team appearances, Bakola has been training with the senior squad throughout preseason. Most of the teenager’s youth career has come with OM’s U19 team and B squad.
Bakola has consistently featured in midfield off the bench, taking on build-up duties and showing impressive maturity for his age. His versatility will be a valuable asset in a midfield missing Valentin Rongier and Ismaël Bennacer.
Keyliane Abdallah (19 years old)
Abdallah’s best production has come with the OM’s U19 squad, scoring 19 goals in 47 appearances for the youth team. This production has led to De Zerbi also having him train with the senior team this preseason.
Abdallah is valued for his bold, eye-catching style, something that stands out in the squad. It’s a sharp contrast to the more controlled approach of starter Mason Greenwood, and with limited depth on the bench right now, his unique qualities are even more important.
Robinio Vaz (18 years old)
Vaz has also been training with the first team this preseason and is coming off making 10 appearances for OM’s B squad, where he scored six goals. He also made seven appearances for the U19 team, scoring two goals for that squad. Vaz arrived last summer from Sochaux, where his coaches held him in high regard, and he still has plenty of room to grow.
Calm under pressure, he’s quick, strong, and has mostly played on the left during friendlies. His versatility stands out, able to make deep runs, play out wide, or slot into central roles, giving his team a valuable and flexible option.
Jonathan Rowe (22 years old)
Rowe arrived last summer from Norwich City and is part of the trend of English players coming to OM. The left-winger appeared in 30 matches during the 2024-25 season for Marseille, scoring three goals and recording four assists. Heading into Year 2 in France, Rowe has the skillset to take the next step in his development and boost his production from last season.
CJ Egan-Riley (22 years old)
Another England native in his early 20s who arrived at OM is Egan-Riley. The defender arrived this summer to help bolster Marseille’s defense as the club need the depth for the 2025-26 season, considering they’ll be playing in three competitions. Egan-Riley comes over from Burnley FC, where he made 49 appearances across all competitions.
Angel Gomes (24 years old)
Gomes established himself as a first-team player with LOSC Lille, and rather than return to England for the possibility of playing for a Premier League club, the midfielder signed with Marseille this summer. The London-born player made 134 appearances for Lille during his time with the club, scoring 10 goals and recording 19 assists.
Mason Greenwood (23 years old)
Greenwood arrived last summer and made an impact in his first season with OM, recording 22 goals and six assists in 36 total appearances. With another season under his belt, Marseille have high expectations for the attacker to lead the offense in 2025-26 with the team also having UEFA Champions League football.
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