Everton and West Ham United have missed out on Arkadiusz Milik with Marseille confirming the arrival of “one of the best players in his role in Europe”, according to L’OM sporting director Pablo Longoria.
After months of incessant speculation, the Poland international is finally breaking out of his Stadio San Paulo prison.
Marseille have agreed a deal to sign Milik on loan with an obligation to buy for a fee of about £11.5 million (£8 million up front), according to Tuttomercatoweb.
And the former Ajax striker looks every inch the reliable, penalty-box prowler the Ligue 1 giants have been crying out for since Andre-Pierre Gignac rode off into the Mexican sunset six years ago.
“I am very satisfied because we have taken one of the best players in his role in Europe,” Longoria says of Milik, who could breathe some life into a Marseille team winless in seven league games.
“He is an excellent player. We demonstrate the ambition of the club and I would like to thank (owner) Frank McCourt and (president) Jacques-Henri Eyraud for the determination shown in the agreement.
“Thanks to the club for his ambition and to the player for his willingness to come to OM. Arkadiusz Milik has technical and physical qualities, and a good ability to finish.”
According to Onet, West Ham made a £6 million bid for Milik earlier this month and were planning a second offer too.
Everton had also identified the 2020 Coppa Italia winner, who scored 34 goals in his final two seasons at Napoli, as someone capable of easing the burden on Dominic Calvert-Lewin (TMW).
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