Premier League clubs Crystal Palace and West Ham United wanted to sign Florian Thauvin from Marseille last year, sports lawyer Ludovic Delechat tells Tuttomercatoweb.
Remember when Newcastle United were seemingly obsessed with signing every talented young Frenchman plying their trade on the other side of the Channel?
But for every Yohan Cabaye, there was a Remy Cabella. And, while there was no doubting Thauvin’s talent, he certainly fell into the latter’s camp.
The highly-rated winger mustered just 13 Premier League games in half a season at St James’ Park.
And while Steve McClaren must take his share of the blame – forcing Thauvin into a left-wing role which restricted his freedom and influence – the fact remains that he didn’t come close to living up to those lofty expectations.
If Thauvin had returned to the Premier League last year, however, he’d have returned a far more mature, well-rounded footballer than the fresh-faced youngster branded a ‘disgrace’ for turning up in a tuxedo for a home draw with Chelsea in 2015.
Why did Florian Thauvin choose Mexico over England?
“After years at Marseille, he reached the end of his contract,” explains Delechat. “OM wanted to renew.
“There were talks with Pablo Longoria, the president. Then interest from big clubs. Such as AC Milan, Atalanta, Roma, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Lyon.”
Thauvin, a World Cup winner and scorer of 26 goals in an outstanding 2017/18 season, made the surprise decision to swap Marseille for Mexico, turning down a host of offers from England and abroad.
Thauvin joined Liga MX outfit Tigras UNAL on a free transfer. A move that saw him reunite with fellow Frenchman and Marseille hero Andre-Pierre Gignac in the process.
“Gignac is a friend of his,” Delechat adds. “They played together, they stayed very, very close. The club (Tigres) was very convinced about the player. They pushed a lot at the end of April 2021.
“He made this choice. He really liked the idea, the project and the passion that exists in the country.”
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