Lille’s France under-20 forward Florian Thauvin has joined fellow Ligue 1 side Olympique Marseille after skipping training for a week to force his way out of a club he never played for.
Last season’s league runners-up Marseille, who decided to put their faith in signing young players, also brought in midfielder Mario Lemina, another Under-20 world champion, from Lorient just before the transfer deadline.
Local media reports said Marseille paid 15 million euros (or US$19.78 million) for the 20-year-old Thauvin, who signed a five-year deal on Monday. Lemina inked a similar contract.
Thauvin joined Lille in January from Ligue 1 Bastia but was loaned back to the Corsica club for six months and scored 10 goals in 32 league games during his first top-flight campaign.
The pacey forward, who won the under-20 World Cup with France this year, asked to be transferred to Marseille when he returned and did not play a single minute for Lille.
