New Marseille coach Marcelino Garcia Toral is delighted to have reunited with the ‘world-class’ Geoffrey Kondogbia after Wolves missed out on bringing the veteran midfielder to the Premier League.
With Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho gone, and with Leander Dendoncker exiting for Aston Villa 10 months earlier, the midfield trio which kicks off the new campaign at Wolves will be totally unrecognisable from the Nuno Espirito Santo – or even the Bruno Lage – era.
Wolves triggered the £9.5 million purchase clause in Boubacar Traore’s contract in the spring. The Mali international will return from a spell on the sidelines looking to force his way into Julen Lopetegui’s XI ahead of the likes of Mario Lemina and Joao Gomes, while Matheus Nunes will also be hoping for a far better season this time around.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Wolves had planned to bring in the highly-experienced Geoffrey Kondogbia too.
The 30-year-old France international quickly made his mind up, however, once Marseille formulated a £7 million offer, choosing a return to his homeland while rebuffing the advances of Wolves, Besiktas and Fenerbahce.
Wolves miss out as Geoffrey Kondogbia joins Marseille
Kondogbia was officially unveiled by Marseille last week. And, in a welcome twist of fate, the former Sevilla, Valencia and Atletico Madrid ace has now been reunited at the Stade Velodrome with his former Mestalla boss, Marcelino hired to replace Igor Tudor on the OM bench.
“I had the chance to work with Geoffrey Kondogbia (before). He is a world class player,” Marcelino says in quotes reported by Africa Foot United.
“He will bring us a lot. But I want to clarify, that there were already negotiations (with Kondogbia) before I (arrived). This was not a personal request.”
More a happy little accident.
Wolves, meanwhile, are operating on a rather restricted budget this summer, despite Neves’ big-money departure to Saudi Arabia.
A striker is a target, especially with doubts still hanging over Raul Jimenez. But El Bilal Toure – one of those reportedly on Lopetegui’s radar – could be too expensive with Everton reportedly ready to trigger the £34 million release clause in his UD Almeria contract.
“It is not only Everton. There, a new owner has bought a part of the club, but it’s not just them. Officially, there are three clubs interested in El Bilal with formal offers on the table,” Mohamed El Assy tells Diario de Almeria.
“Two of them are Italian, and one is English. And now we are in the middle of negotiations.
“We are not going to broadcast (the details of the negotiations) in the media. It all depends on the value they present to us.
“We are happy with El Bilal because he is a hard worker and a great striker.”