Akor Adams to Marseille: Three key reasons Super Eagles striker tops Mason Greenwood replacement list

Super Eagles and Sevilla forward Akor Adams has attracted strong interest from Marseille ahead of the summer transfer window, Afrik-Foot reports.

The 26-year-old has emerged as the French club’s top transfer target as they look to strengthen their squad ahead of next season. Marseille are hoping to return to the summit of French football and mount a serious challenge for silverware as well.

Adams only joined Sevilla during the January transfer window in 2025, but despite a slow start, he found his rhythm and went on to score 10 La Liga goals last season. He finished as Sevilla’s top league scorer despite missing part of the campaign through international duty with Nigeria.

The Super Eagles forward scored twice for the three-time African champions at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where the team finished third to claim a record ninth bronze medal. 

Marseille target move for Akor Adams

According to reports, Marseille are preparing a move for Adams and are keen to secure his signature before the start of next season.

The French giants have endured several disappointing campaigns in recent years, and last season was no exception. Marseille missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification after a poor run of form during the closing stages of the campaign saw them finish fifth and settle for a place in the UEFA Europa League.

In fact, Marseille have not won a major trophy since lifting the Coupe de la Ligue in the 2011-12 season. While they have come close to ending that drought on several occasions, they have repeatedly fallen short at the final hurdle.

Meanwhile, former Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood, who has often been deployed as a central striker, is expected to leave the club this summer. Turkish giants Fenerbahce and Italian side AS Roma are both pushing for his signature, prompting Marseille to begin searching for a replacement early.

Why Marseille want Adams to replace Greenwood

Super Eagles forward Akor Adams has emerged as Marseille’s preferred target for the centre-forward role and could be set for a return to France if all parties can reach an agreement.

Before joining Sevilla, the Nigerian striker spent time at Montpellier, giving him valuable experience in the French league and this means he would require little time to adapt. Les Phoceéns are keen to avoid signing a player who may need an extended period to settle in and Adams would slot into the team effectively to replace Greenwood.

In addition, countryman Tochukwu Nnadi, who joined Marseille earlier this year, is already at the club and would help Adams settle quickly should the move materialize.

His combination of pace and physicality also makes him an excellent fit for Ligue 1 football. He would immediately slot into Marseille’s attack alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and can also feature as a lone striker when needed.

For Nigeria, Adams has occasionally led the line on his own but has mostly operated in a two-man attack alongside Victor Osimhen and Marseille are confident he can replicate those performances and immediately fill the void Greenwood’s potential departure would leave.

The 26-year-old also performs well under pressure and his statistics show why he is regarded as a great finisher. 

The forward scored 10 times in the league for Sevilla last season. Those numbers become even more impressive considering the former Europa League winners struggled throughout much of the campaign, leaving Adams to shoulder most of the club’s goalscoring responsibilities.

Marseille are reportedly preparing an offer worth €18 million for the Nigerian striker, although Sevilla are believed to value him closer to €25 million.

Adams has also responded to the transfer speculation, indicating a preference to remain in Spain, although he did not entirely rule out an exit this summer.

This leaves the door open for Marseille to step up their pursuit and they could soon move into a strong position, especially if they are able to move on Greenwood.