'It is a decision I do not agree with' - Marseille boss Bruno Genesio speaks out after Hojbjerg loses captaincy

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has been hit with immediate disciplinary action at Marseille after blocking a lucrative return to the Premier League. The Denmark midfielder has been stripped of the club captaincy after refusing a switch to Newcastle United, even though a formal transfer agreement had been reached between the two clubs.

Armband removed from Hojbjerg

The consequences of Hojbjerg's decision to reject a move to Newcastle United have been immediate and serious at the Orange Velodrome. Although Marseille and Newcastle had reached a full agreement over a £15 million transfer, the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder made a sudden U-turn that has left the French club's hierarchy furious.

The 31-year-old had made it clear that he wanted to stay in the south of France, but his refusal to enable a transfer that would have significantly improved Marseille's financial position has now cost him his leadership role in the squad.

Proof of his demotion was visible during Friday's friendly against Atletico Madrid, when the team sheet confirmed the leadership change. Hojbjerg was named in the starting XI by manager Bruno Genesio, but the captain's armband was instead given to United States international Timothy Weah.

Genesio also said the call had been taken by the club's management and admitted he did not support it, saying: "I'll be completely frank, it's a decision by the management that I do not share."

Financial pressure at OM

Marseille owner Frank McCourt is reportedly furious with the player's behaviour, with reports in France stating that the American businessman remains "irritated" by the episode. The club has been under huge pressure to trim its heavy wage bill this summer because of continuing financial problems, and the guaranteed income from the Magpies would have offered badly needed breathing space.

By stopping the move, Hojbjerg has put himself in a delicate situation in which his commitment to the team is being seen as an obstacle to the club's long-term sustainability and recruitment strategy.

The experienced midfielder initially joined Marseille on loan from Spurs during the 2024-25 season, in a deal that included a mandatory purchase clause worth £17m, which was officially activated earlier this year. However, the club's desire to sell him on only a few months later underlines the unstable nature of its present financial condition.

Newcastle's frustrating summer goes on

For Newcastle United, the rejection is another setback in what has become a summer of major turbulence at St James' Park. The Magpies had identified Hojbjerg as the ideal experienced organiser to hold together the midfield for new head coach Matthias Jaissle, but they must now turn elsewhere in search of reinforcements.

The club has already endured a major loss of talent during this transfer window, having approved the high-profile departures of former captain Bruno Guimaraes to Arsenal, star winger Anthony Gordon to Barcelona, and Sandro Tonali to Tottenham.

Those recruitment issues come after the shock exit of Eddie Howe, the man who ended the club's trophy drought and led them back into the Champions League, with Howe stepping down on July 31.

What next for Hojbjerg?

Despite the internal disciplinary action, Hojbjerg remains a player in strong demand in the closing weeks of the European transfer window. Although he has stated a preference to remain at Marseille, the collapse in his relationship with the club's hierarchy could yet push him towards a late move elsewhere.

AC Milan are believed to be monitoring the situation closely and could offer the Dane an alternative way out of France if his standing at Marseille becomes impossible after being stripped of the captaincy.