Marseille have sent a clear signal that they expect the departure of West Ham United target Morgan Sanson by identifying the man to replace him.
Sanson, who joined Marseille from Montpellier in 2017, has been a consistent performer for the Ligue 1 outfit in recent seasons.
However, Marseille are in desperate need to bring in cash this summer and are open to cashing in on Sanson, who they value in the region of €35m.
The Ligue 1 outfit have already held talks with West Ham over the possibility of a permanent transfer for Sanson, while the midfielder has been offered to Newcastle United and Wolves as well.
And according to French daily La Provence, Marseille have identified the ideal candidate to replace Sanson, something which shows they are laying the ground for his departure.
It is claimed that Marseille sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta wants to sign Valentin Rongier, in case of the event of parting ways with Sanson this summer.
Nantes are expected to demand at least €15m in exchange for the services of Rongier, who made 43 appearances for them in all competitions during the recently concluded season.
As such, Marseille will have to raise cash after the departure of first team players, including Sanson, in order to facilitate a swoop for Rongier.
The 24-year-old has a contract with Nantes that only expires in 2022.
He directly contributed to 10 goals in Ligue 1 this term.
