Olympique de Marseille Are One Of The World’s Great Clubs – Lucho Gonzalez

Although the transfer window is not even half completed, one of the most influential moves in Ligue 1 this summer will surely be that of Lucho Gonzalez, whose decision to switch from Porto to Olympique de Marseille was a little shocking to say the least. 

More than a few eyebrows were raised as the Argentine international midfielder elected to take, what many perceived to be, a sideways step to les Phoceens, but he has hinted that he feels the move is something of an upgrade.

“OM are not just a great French club, but a great world club,” he told radio station RMC.

“I know how the fans are attached to the club. It is similar in Argentina. These are real fanatics. Everyone loves playing for this kind of audience and this is also the case for me.”

Marseille have splashed out a club record €18 million to secure the signature of ‘El Commandante’ – a fee that may ultimately rise to €24m in the long-term – and the deep-lying middleman knows that there will be certain expectations of him at the Mediterranean outfit.

“I now have to show that I can play, as I did with Porto and the national team,” he asserted.

“I will give my body and soul to this club.”

Les Phoceens are currently in pre-season training under new head coach Didier Deschamps, who has also made positive moves to sign central defender Souleymane Diawara, holding midfielder Edouard Cisse and young Cameroonian international wideman Charley Fomen.

Robin Bairner, Goal.com