Thauvin makes Marseille switch permanent
Newcastle has given up on the Florian Thauvin experiment.
The Premier League returnee announced Friday that the French winger has signed a permanent deal with Marseille, and after a stunning campaign at the Stade Velodrome, it's a move that makes sense for both club and player.
Winger @FlorianThauvin will complete a permanent move to @OM_Officiel following a loan spell at the Orange Vélodrome.
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) June 9, 2017
After a year-and-a-half on loan at Marseille, Thauvin returns to the south coast club that sold him to the Magpies in 2015 on a five-year deal for a reported fee of £15 million amid former gaffer Alan Pardew's French obsession.
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Bouncing back from a dire 2015-16, Marseille was boosted by Thauvin's exploits. His 15 goals were second on the team to fellow Premier League outcast Bafetimbi Gomis' 20, and his eight assists were third-best in France's top flight.
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Those performances with Marseille have also earned Thauvin a France call-up, with the 24-year-old Grenoble academy product making his Les Bleus debut on June 2 in a 5-0 beating of Paraguay.