The former Braga player could cause a sensation in Ligue 1. Panoramic
Most expensive player in the history of OM, never selected with Portugal… Everything you need to know about the new Marseille striker.
Olympique de Marseille have announced the arrival of Portuguese striker Vitinha from Braga. The 22-year-old player – who has nothing to do with the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder – could be the very good surprise of this end of the season in Ligue 1. But do you really know him?
The most expensive rookie in the history of OM
Pablo Longoria sniffed it out. Yet on the shelves of many clubs including Bournemouth, the Braga striker has chosen to settle in Marseille but not at any price. Indeed, for a transfer of around 32 million euros, Vitinha is now the most expensive recruit in the history of the club. On the podium, he is ahead of Dimitri Payet, who arrived in 2017 for 29 million from West Ham and Kevin Strootman, recruited for 25 million euros in 2018.
Read alsoMercato: Were OM right to put €30m on Vitinha?
The Braga striker is having an excellent season. Panoramic
… With a clause well negotiated by Braga
The current second in the Portuguese championship was able to negotiate a clause in the transfer of his striker, as announced in the press release from the Marseille club : “ SC Braga also guaranteed the right to buy the rights to the player for the sum of 60 million euros, plus 10% of the capital gain in a future transfer“. In addition, Braga could buy him if his rating explodes without OM being able to do anything.
The player registers over time
Vitinha will have time to prove the extent of his technical and offensive palette. The striker signed up with the Marseille club for a period of 4 and a half years. A strong choice of Pablo Longoria and Marseille leaders, who trust Vitinha. Kevin Strootman had signed him for 5 years for an ultimately unconvincing result, hoping, of course, for a completely different fate for the new Marseille center forward.
He was never selected
Vitinha is only 22 years old. The swift striker has 5 selections with the Portugal U21s but has never been selected with the A team. Subject to strong competition for his position in the selection despite very good statistics, the player is waiting for his chance and will have to prove that he can be in the group. Vitinha had, however, been shortlisted for the World Cup in Qatar with the Seleçao before Gonçalo Ramos was preferred to him. Looking at his first half of the season, the native of Cabeceiras de Basto in Portugal could take part in the next rally before the Euro 2024 qualifiers.
A more than interesting profile
Vitinha never spares her efforts. Warrior, the player is sometimes even at the limit as this statistic proves: 4 yellow cards received this season. The Portuguese is considered excellent with both feet with a good heading game (1m83). This season, the 22-year-old has scored 14 goals in 27 appearances, more than his first season as a professional last year (38 appearances, 13 goals). In addition, Vitinha distributes the offerings (5 assists this season, one more than last season) and had blown away against Union Sainte-Gilloise in the Europa League where he scored a hat-trick.
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