The 26-year-old winger, who joined Marseille from Feyenoord in 2025 for a reported 35 million euros, has drawn interest from abroad amid financial pressures at the French club and a breakdown in his on-field production.
Vasco da Gama Emerges as Suitor for Winter Move
According to reports from the specialized Marseille transfer outlet La Minute OM, Vasco da Gama is tracking Paixao closely and could launch an official bid during the winter transfer window. The Brazilian side’s interest offers a potential exit route for a player whose relationship with the club has grown strained. Alongside the interest from South America, off-field complications involving social media posts from the player’s partner have added friction to his current standing in the south of France. Como anunciado por algumas fontes brasileiras, Vasco da Gama se interessa bem e pelo Igor Paixão
, notes the specialized Olympique de Marseille transfer account on X, adding that the Brazilian club could go on the offensive this very winter for the 26-year-old winger who wishes to leave OM, while La Minute OM confirms that Vasco da Gama has positioned itself.
Financial Realities and the Shadow of Sunderland
The looming prospect of a winter departure revives a saga that nearly concluded last August. At the time, manager Bruno Genesio strongly opposed the sale, even placing his own resignation on the line because Marseille lacked the financial clearance from French football’s financial watchdog, the DNCG, to sign a replacement.
🚨Comme annoncé par certaines sources brésiliennes, Vasco da Gama s’intéresse bel et bien à Igor Paixão. Le club brésilien pourrait passer à l’offensive dès cet hiver pour l’ailier de 26 ans, qui souhaite quitter l’OM.#TeamOM #MercatOM pic.twitter.com/7rWTmOlDyN
Sunderland’s interest may be rekindled as the English club battles to climb out of last place in the Premier League standings under manager Régis Le Bris. However, financial constraints at Marseille remain a pressing concern. Club hierarchy must navigate strict budgetary monitoring and work toward registering essential player sales ahead of June 30, 2027, making any incoming transfer dependent entirely on institutional approvals.
A Heavy Price Tag and Strained Relations on the Pitch
Statistical analysis highlights the immense financial weight of Paixao’s transfer. According to calculations published by Sport.fr via Sportune, the Brazilian forward commands a gross monthly salary of approximately 350,000 euros, as reported by L’Équipe. Factoring in his 35 million euro transfer fee and accumulated wages totalling roughly 5.04 million euros over the studied period—bringing the total to 40.04 million euros—Paixao’s cost per goal reaches approximately 3.34 million euros, based on twelve goals scored across 47 total appearances.
That economic burden has been compounded by a lack of output this season, during which Paixao has not found the back of the net in Ligue 1 or the UEFA Europa League. Tensions reached a visible peak during a recent fixture at Troyes, when the forward reportedly refused to acknowledge Genesio upon being substituted, fueling speculation over his immediate future.
Uncertainty Ahead of the January Window
Questions remain over whether Vasco da Gama possesses the financial capacity to match the valuation established by Sunderland’s previous 30 million euro bid. Furthermore, supporters and analysts emphasize that any authorization to sell Paixao in January must be paired with explicit guarantees from the DNCG allowing Marseille to recruit a replacement, ensuring Genesio is not left short-handed for the remainder of the campaign. Igor Paixao knows he will leave Marseille either during the winter or the following summer transfer window, having confided this detail to the microphone of Canal+, while the prospect of a rebound at Sunderland pleases him.
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