"I am delighted to give Fabien the chance to go to Marseille," said Fergie.
"There is an element of risk about it in the sense that it leaves us with two goalkeepers, but the young boy Luke Steele is making great progress.
"He doesn't have experience, but young keepers don't have that - and Ben Williams has been out on loan and is back, so we do have cover there.
"It can't be easy being third choice at Manchester United for a lad that has won a World Cup and a European Championship and several other top honours in the game. But it's just about opportunity.
"Tim Howard has done fantastic, firstly in the States and then since we have got back, and Roy Carroll has also done nothing wrong.
"Unfortunately for Fabien, the timing of Tim getting in the team has gone against him. I hope he does well at Marseille and gets his career back on the road.
"He was in the Confederations Cup with France, while Tim and Roy were in the States, were fit and played their games.
"They also did their pre-season training and Fabien didn't turn up until August 7 in Lisbon - and that's the whole story."