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Olympique de Marseille have completed the permanent signing of Julie Thibaud from Leicester City for an undisclosed fee. The 28-year-old centre-back returns to France after three seasons in the Women’s Super League, bringing an end to a Leicester spell in which she made 72 appearances across all competitions. The transfer remains subject to the necessary clearances. Marseille have not disclosed the length of Thibaud’s contract. Transfer Snapshot - Player: Julie Thibaud - Age: 28 - Position: Centre-back - From: Leicester City - To: Olympique de Marseille - Transfer type: Permanent - Fee: Undisclosed - Contract: Not disclosed - Leicester appearances: 72 in all competitions - Leicester league appearances: 58 - Status: Subject to clearances Marseille Add Experience to Their Defence Julie Thibaud gives Marseille a defender who already understands the demands of the French top flight but has broadened her experience through three seasons in England. She left Bordeaux for Leicester in 2023, making the move abroad after six years with the Girondines. Thibaud quickly established herself in the Foxes’ defence and accumulated 58 league appearances during her time in the WSL. That period exposed her to a faster and increasingly physical competition, while giving her regular experience against some of Europe’s leading attacking players. She now returns to France with a more varied defensive background than when she departed. Why Thibaud Fits Marseille’s Plans Marseille highlighted Thibaud’s strength in individual duels, but her ability in possession may be equally important to head coach Nicolas Chabot. The centre-back is comfortable starting attacks from deeper positions and has the technical security to move the ball through pressure. That provides Marseille with a defender capable of contributing to their build-up rather than operating solely as a penalty-area presence. Her experience should also help bring stability to the defensive unit. Thibaud has played more than 140 league matches across her spells with Bordeaux and Leicester, alongside her earlier development at Soyaux. She therefore arrives ready to take on immediate responsibility rather than requiring a lengthy introduction to Première Ligue football. Returning to Familiar Ground Julie Thibaud began her senior career with Soyaux and made her French top-flight debut during the 2014/15 season. She joined Bordeaux in 2017 and gradually became an important part of their defence, making 88 league appearances before accepting her first opportunity outside France. Her international experience began in the French youth teams. Thibaud was part of the side that won the 2016 European Under-19 Championship and later progressed into the senior national-team setup. Marseille are bringing back a player who knows the league, but her three years at Leicester mean this is not simply a return to the same environment she left in 2023. Leicester Lose an Established Defender Thibaud’s departure removes another experienced player from Leicester’s squad after relegation to WSL 2. Her 72 appearances demonstrate how regularly she featured across her three seasons at the club. Leicester will now need to replace both her defensive minutes and the experience she provided during a period of significant change. Her challenge will be to translate the lessons of three WSL seasons into authority within Marseille’s back line. If she does, the club will have acquired far more than a familiar Première Ligue defender. Source: Olympique de Marseille