In his debut season as the club’s manager Didier Deschamps is already making moves to ensure success in Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League.
On June 29, 2009 the first year manager made his first move in this year’s summer transfer window by acquiring Argentinian Lucho (Luis) Gonzalez for a club record $25 million from the Portugeuse champions FC Porto. The four year deal is said to be finalized by Sunday July 5, 2009 pending a medical examination.
Though this is a great addition to club there are some concerns about the health of Gonzalez. In April during a champions league match against Manchester United Gonzalez tore the meniscus in his left knee, but the club still has high hopes the he will recover and sign soon enough to begin practice with the rest of the team this weekend. The mid-fielder Gonzalez scored 32 times in 111 appearences for FC Porto and has 6 goals and 43 caps for the Argentinian national team.
This seems to be a step in the right direction for Deschamps as manager at Marseille. Deschamps was part of the 1993 Europa League Championship squad with Marseille so with that being said he should know a thing or two about what it takes to be a successful team and it seems the re-building of the squad isn’t over yet.
As of July 2, 2009 the French club’s website has also reported the club had reached agreements for defenders Souleymane Diawara and Edouard Cissé. These transfers remaining subject to the players undergoing the usual medical checkup. Diawara who is coming from last year’s Ligue 1 Champions Bordeaux and with his fast pace and great on the ball physicality he will surely be a great defensive weapon for the club.
It seems Deschamps is a preparing for another run at the league championship this season with only one thing in sight, lifting the cup when its all said and done.
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