Marseille’s Lucho Gonzalez is reportedly on his way back to former club http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/FC-Porto-c39186 after falling out favour in France.
The midfielder spent a hugely successful four years at Estadio do Dragao from 2005 to 2009. Winning four Primeira Liga titles and two Portuguese Cups during his stint, he is fondly remembered by the Porto faithful for his impressive performances.
Gonzalez, however, chose to part ways with the Portistas in the summer of 2009 after Marseille acquired his services in a deal allegedly worth €18 million. Ever since arriving at Stade Vélodrome he has been pivotal figure in the Les Phoceens line-up.
Success has followed the Argentine at the helm and the club has won Ligue 1 alongside other major honours in the past few campaigns. Last year especially, the 31-year-old was in fine form and attracted the attention of English Premier League giants http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Arsenal-c38429.
However despite Arsene Wenger’s interest being genuine, in a twist of rare modern loyalty, the player refused to sign with the Gunners and stayed with Marseille for at least one more season.
Although praised for his commitment to the French outfit, Gonzalez’s performances have waned since the start of the term and he has fallen down the pecking order at the helm. Didier Deschamps is now keen to part ways with the player and it has paved the
way for a return to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Portugal-c2984.
FC Porto have been suffering from their own woes in the last couple of months, as their financial problems have threatened to derail their title challenge.
Midfielders Fredy Guarin and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Fernando-Belluschi-c13628 are also on the verge of parting ways with the Primeira Liga side and the Dragons are eager to replace them with a relatively inexpensive signing.
Gonzalez is the ideal target for Vitor Pereira, as he is not only tried and tested against elite competition but should also be available on the cheap due to his unwanted status in France.
While Marseille are looking for a permanent transfer, they should agree to a loan deal if Porto are unable to match their asking price. It is also rumoured that the Dragao will try to reach an agreement by placing http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Silvestre-Varela-c33505 in the equation.
According to the latest reports in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Vitor-c36281 Pereira’s men will have the option of making it permanent in the summer by churning out €3.5 million.
Marseille president Vincent Labrune has also commented on the situation and revealed that the proposed deal was on the verge of being completed.
"The agreement is 97 percent complete," he said.
Lucho Gonzalez was given a rousing applause from the L'OM supporters in the win over Rennes, which signals his exit from the French League and a remarkable return to the Portuguese Primeira Liga.
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