There are players, like that, that we like to keep under the elbow. Or in the corner of the head, if you prefer. Since last summer, OM have always maintained contact with Ruslan Malinovskyi and his entourage. At the time, the two parties were really very close, to the point that the main interested party already imagined himself on the Canebière. But in the absence of an agreement with Atalanta Bergamo, this union might not be made. “Question of time”, we said to each other within the Marseille club. Because the will to recruit the Ukrainian environment was too strong. That of Igor Tudor in the first place. Before landing in France, the Olympian coach had been able to admire him up close in Italy. His vision of the game, his technique, his left foot, his strike: Malinovskyi is a player who cannot leave anyone indifferent. Tudor knows this well. Pablo Longoria, who knows the Italian championship perfectly, too. An opportunity like that, they wanted to seize it.
After missing the boat during the summer transfer window, the two men promised to try once more this winter. Bingo. This time, the Dea finally gave in. According to Sky Italia, the deal is as follows: a free loan with an obligation to buy €10 million + €3 million in bonuses. With a major precision: the option will turn into an obligation if OM manages … to save themselves. Suffice to say that Malinovskyi will not return to Bergamo and will stay in Marseille at the end of the season. Something to satisfy everyone. Especially Atalanta, who didn’t want to see him in another Italian club.
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His left foot is amazing
“We all wanted it, already this summer. He will bring us quality in the last 30 meters, his vision of the game, his good shot, his mentality“said the OM coach on Monday, questioned as Malinovskyi was having his medical examination.I played once morest him in Italy and he is very, very strong. He hits very well. It can help us a lot considering our style. He presses well, he runs a lot“, for his part, said goalkeeper Pau Lopez during the same press conference.
Trained in Shakhtar Donetsk, where he never played in the first team, he was revealed to Zorya Luhansk (2014-2016) before expanding physically and tactically during his successful stint in Genk. In three and a half seasons with Atalanta, who signed him for 14 million euros at the time, the left-hander played 143 matches and scored 30 goals. OM also recalled that he had participated in the Champions League three times with the Lombard club and that he had finished best passer in Serie A in 2021.
But it was his powerful strikes that made an impression, especially those of the goalkeepers. They are pure, dry and without any artifice. Malinovskyi does not necessarily seek the most complex trajectories to hurt. To get an idea of what awaits the Velodrome, just look at the free kick from 30-35 meters scored by the Ukrainian last February once morest Juventus Turin. Entering the game shortly before, and well shifted when executing, he sent an exceptional strike from the left (obviously) to deceive Wojciech Szczęsny. In June 2020, his 2-2 goal once morest Lazio was flashed at 106 km / h.
Malinovskyi leaves Atalanta-Juventus – Serie A 2021/2022 – Imago pub not in UK
Credit: Imago
“His left foot is just amazingenthuses our colleague from The Sports Gazette Francesco Pietrella. For for me, it’s a big blow for Ligue 1. And OM confirms itself as a club capable of welcoming players who have passed through Serie A, such as Pau Lopez, Alexis Sanchez, Jordan Veretout, Cengiz Under… Malinovskyi is a player who is still at his “prime”, he is “only” 29 years old. And with Igor Tudor on the bench, always able to bring out the best in his players, it may be a click for him..” It must be said that with Gian Piero Gasperini, his former Atalanta, the relationship was no longer really in good shape.
His partner’s anger
Eager to rejuvenate his attack, the “Gasp”, a renowned technician but with a strong character, had thus demanded the departure of his player last summer despite the contrary opinion of his leaders, who ended up following him, as often . Quickly informed, the principal concerned did not really appreciate. The tifosi, who have always appreciated it, either. To justify himself, the Bergamo technician will let go at a press conference: “He did great things with us, he adapted very quickly by doing great things. But it is normal that Atalanta are looking for a player who scores more than six goals.” In the last three Serie A seasons, the Ukrainian international has scored eight goals in 2019-20, six goals in 2020-2021 and six goals in the final exercise. With a total of 24 assists. Obviously not enough for his now ex-coach.
- 2022-2023: 15 matches, 1 goal and 2 assists
- 2021-2022: 30 matches, 6 goals and 5 assists
- 2020-2021: 36 matches, 8 goals and 12 assists
- 2019-2020: 34 matches, 8 goals and 5 assists
- 2018-2019 (Genk): 29 matches, 9 goals and 9 assists
“Malinovskyi has had some issues with Gasperini lately“, Francesco Pietrella confirms to us. To the point that his wife decided to publicly defend him last October, declaring that her husband “was in the best possible shape” et “not understanding why he was not playing“. “I remember the good old days, when he played 90 minutes twice a week and became a champion“, she regretted on Instagram, before withdrawing her message. Too late, of course. Nothing will work out followingwards, with just one start once morest Lecce on November 9. The opportunity to deliver his last decisive pass under the Dea jersey.
Where can he play?
“He was clearly pushed out by Gasperini, he would never have left on his own. Ruslan was happy in Bergamo, his wife too. But he had to face the facts, his coach no longer wanted him. The situation had become irremediable, as with others before him. Just think of the end of Papu Gomez…“says a connoisseur of the Italian transfer window. “His departure is quite simply the result of an opportunityjustified Tony D’Amico, the sporting director of Atalanta, on Monday. We thank him for everything he has done, but we decided to take this opportunity to sell him. Ruslan plays in a position on the pitch where we already have a lot of elements.”
After this first transfer, OM are still waiting for the reinforcement of another attacking player. President Pablo Longoria mentioned last week in front of the press the possibility of choosing a profile similar to that of Malinovskyi, to evolve “in line two” of Tudor’s 3-4-2-1. Attacking midfielder and true creator, the Ukrainian can fit perfectly into the Marseille system, especially right axis, since he likes the possibility of transplanting in the axis on his foot left.
His other qualities? Contribution of verticality, quickness to get in the direction of the game and ability to make differences with the ball at the foot. Last season, he had no less than 45 key passes (passes that allow a shot, editor’s note) and 48 fouls suffered (the same total as Dimitri Payet). “He is a player who plays in the position of ‘trequartista’, number 10says our colleague. He’s not really a ‘fantasista’, but he knows how to score and make a difference. He demonstrated it throughout his stay here. For me, I repeat, it’s really a big blow for OM.”
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