He only had to register in the rotation this season at OM. Pope Gueye, who was initially engaged in Watford, yet knows a meteoric rise. Since the last summer transfer window, the same word has been repeated in the mouths of Olympian leaders about him: “Creative”. When Gueye, 21, walks through the doors of the Commanderie on July 1, 2020, a question frequently comes up: a real good move or a simple market opportunity for a player who arrived free from Le Havre? In six months, the native of Montreuil (Seine-Saint-Denis) has offered many answers to the point of being today the best summer recruit of OM.
To understand his decision to respond favorably to Marseille’s requests, we must go back a little less than a week before his signing, when the one who grew up in Blanc-Mesnil receives the phone call from André Villas-Boas. During this extremely detailed exchange, the Portuguese coach describes with precision and transparency the game plan he imagined for him. And that’s also what tipped the scales.
“He felt he was a real choice of Villas-Boas”
“He explained to her that his playing time would depend on his performances and his training,” says one of his relatives. And to add: Villas-Boas told him Boubacar Kamara is my sentinel. You, I can use you at all the posts in the middle, in front of the defense, torchbearer, box to box. Even two next to Kamara. He felt that he was a real choice of the coach who had observed him and also detailed his areas of progress. “
The ex-Havre first put aside the imbroglio around his real-false transfer to Watford, which OM’s legal services took over as soon as the player arrived. “Pope is a boy without pressure, patient. The Watford case? He put it in a drawer and he moved on, ”says a member of his entourage. Gueye was also able to rely on his main competitor in midfield: Boubacar Kamara. The two friends have known each other since their years together in the French U18 and U19 teams, where they also met Michaël Cuisance. “Humanly, he’s someone I really like. He is very discreet, very respectful, learns quickly and is appreciated by the whole group, summed up Steve Mandanda before the match against Montpellier. With his discretion, his simplicity and his work, he is gradually forging a place. “Words that echo those of one of his relatives:” Pope, it’s training, car, house … “.
This express adaptation, Gueye also owes it to his agreement with AVB. A special relationship has developed between the two. The technician recently mentioned “an extraordinary player” in whom he “places a lot of confidence”. “It’s her baby,” said a witness. I am convinced that if Villas-Boas went to another big club, he would take her. At the beginning of December, the Portuguese spoke of his recruit as the successor of Boubacar Kamara. A month later, they evolve together as a holder. This should still be the case on Wednesday during the Champions Trophy against PSG. And by the admission of those who know him, “at this stage of the season, the Pope was not expecting it”.
:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/GB5PKVT7MZDPZMEVRL5A7G5KQY.jpg?fit=300%2C300&ssl=1)
