Leicester City defender Julie Thibaud completes permanent move to Marseille
The 28-year-old joins the Arkema Première Ligue side on an undisclosed fee, opting to remain in top-flight football following Leicester’s relegation from the Barclays WSL.
Leicester City defender Julie Thibaud has completed a permanent transfer to French Arkema Première Ligue club Olympique de Marseille. The 28-year-old French international departs the English club after a three-season stint, during which she made 72 appearances across all competitions.
Marseille have paid an undisclosed fee to secure Thibaud’s services. The move comes as Thibaud seeks to maintain her status in top-tier football, having opted to leave Leicester City following the club’s relegation from the Barclays WSL.
Thibaud’s tenure at Leicester was marked by significant defensive stability. She played a key role in the club recording back-to-back top-flight points records during the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 seasons. However, the team’s performance declined in the subsequent campaign, resulting in their relegation at the end of last season.
The defender joins an Olympique de Marseille squad that finished ninth in the 2025/2026 Arkema Première Ligue table. The move allows Thibaud to continue competing at the highest level of French women’s football, avoiding the drop to the second tier that her former club now faces.
Thibaud is the latest high-profile departure from The King Power Stadium this summer. Several other Leicester City players have chosen to move on following the club’s relegation in May. The Foxes are currently in the process of rebuilding their squad, with the primary objective of challenging for the Barclays WSL2 title in the upcoming season.
