Gervinho looks set to join the Arsenal exodus as Marseille confirmed their interest in the player and negotiations started according to reports in France.
Fresh Arsenal reported last week that Gervinho was one of three players in discussions to leave the club, with Arsenal willing to sell for a suitable offer. Gervinho joined the club two years ago in a deal worth £8million from Lille. The North London club are hoping to re-coup this amount if they are to sell the player. French media source Le 10 Sport report that Marseille and Arsenal are already in negotiations over the 26 year-old.
Marseille’s assistant manager Franck Passi told media: “(Gervinho) This is a profile that interests us, yes. We want flank players, with dribbling, passing and scoring and Gervinho has this profile”. You could argue about the ‘scoring’ part of that statement, but Gervinho’s ability when on form cannot be questioned and his raw talent would be an asset for any club – despite his frustration at (most of the) times.
Newcastle and Lyon have also been heavily linked with the Ivorian winger who is likely to return to France – but Arsenal are hunting for the most up-front cash offered – something both French suitors may struggle to produce. A swap deal with Marseille involving Andre Ayew has been mooted in L’Equipe, whilst Arsenal’s reported interest in Clement Grenier could help negotiations with Lyon.