Just after winning Euro 2000 in the French team jersey, a striker decided to leave OM to join Arsenal. A transfer for which the majority shareholder at the time at OM had given his agreement for quite some time, as the player concerned by the operation indicated in an interview.
During the market summer 2000, and while theABOUT was coming out of a fairly complicated season on a sporting level, one of the major elements of the Marseille offensive sector had decided to change direction. A member of theFrench team World champion in 1998 and European champion in 2000, who had the green light from Robert Louis-Dreyfus (majority shareholder ofABOUT at that time) for several months already. This player is Robert Pirèsand he left OM to join Arsenal with a transfer estimated at around €10M.
“He played the game with me”
Asked by The Marseillaise in 2011, Robert Pirès spoke behind the scenes of his departure fromABOUT pour Arsenal : « For me, it went very well because, both at OM and at Arsenal, I had gentlemen face to face. First Robert Louis-Dreyfus who, in January, gave me his word as a man that I would benefit from an exit voucher. He played the game with me, so I returned the favor », confides the former player of theFrench teamwho had therefore had the word of Louis-Dreyfus to carry out the operation with the Gunners.
“I know I can count on him!” »
Et Robert Pirès also welcomes the determination ofArsenal to have facilitated his transfer at that time: “ Then the other great man in history is Arsene Wenger. He also only has one word, and when he gives it, he respects it. Even today, I know that I can count on him! », continues the former striker of theABOUT.
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