England U20 international Emran Soglo (18) is perhaps the player most impacted by Marcelino’s departure from Olympique de Marseille in September.
The versatile Créteil-born player started for Marseille during a 2-2 draw against FC Metz in August and scored his first goal for the club. Soglo looked to be on the cusp of a breakthrough, however, since Marcelino’s departure in mid-September, he has played just a minute of first-team football. In an interview with RMC Sport, OM president Pablo Longoria has now confirmed that the club are looking to strengthen at left-back, which will inevitably push Soglo further down the pecking order.
Renan Lodi arrived in Marseille in the summer. The left-back signed from Atletico Madrid and has had a mixed start to life at the Vélodrome. Michael Amir Murillo, another summer signing, can also play at left-back, as can Soglo, who is playing a more diminished role since Gennaro Gattuso’s arrival as manager.
‘Soglo is a player in construction’ – Longoria
However, Longoria has revealed that Marseille are looking to strengthen at left-back. “There is a discussion about a left-back […] we need to look to strengthen numerically. We need to give Lodi and Murillo flexibility […] we need to increase the competition between the players in the team, we lack depth in the squad at the minute,” Longoria told RMC Sport.
On Soglo, who is a midfielder by trade, Longoria added, “For his style, Marcelino had a lot of confidence in Soglo. For Gattuso’s style, Soglo is a player with different characteristics. He has lots of qualities, but he is a player in construction, born in 2005.”
It seems that Soglo will struggle to make a place for himself at left-back, at least in the short-term. However, with Valentin Rongier absent for the next three months, perhaps an opportunity will present itself in the midfield.
GFFN | Luke Entwistle
About Author
