Marseille move delights Pagis
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Article summary
RC Strasbourg striker Mickaël Pagis has completed a €1m move to Olympique de Marseille and admitted he was "emotional" after signing a contract until 2008.
Article body
Emotional moment
The top-scoring Frenchman in Ligue 1 last season with 15 goals, Pagis was delighted with the switch. The 32-year-old said: "I feel quite emotional just to be part of the team at Marseille. This club means a lot to me." The transfer sees Pagis reunited with coach Jean Fernandez, who took him to FC Sochaux-Montbéliard in 2000/01. "I picked him up from Nîmes [Olympique SC] and I remember that we spoke about Marseille together at the time," recalled the coach.
Strasbourg partner
At the Vélodrome, Pagis also joins Senegalese forward Mamadou Niang, his old strike partner as Strasbourg won the 2004/05 French League Cup. "Pagis is the kind of player we have lacked," said Marseille president Pape Diouf. "Useful in the air and able to score and make assists." Pagis had endured a difficult time at Strasbourg, who remain rooted to the foot of Ligue 1. Fans had begun to turn against him at La Meinau, although he denied he had been keen to leave, saying: "I intended to stay longer at Strasbourg."
Cup tied
The newcomer will be ineligible to play for Marseille in the UEFA Cup, having featured in the group stage of the competition with Strasbourg. He is OM's third January signing following the arrivals of striker Toifilou Maoulida and defender Jérôme Bonnissel. Marseille meet England's Bolton Wanderers FC in the Round of 32 next month.
