Official | Record signing Vitinha leaves Marseille for Genoa | OneFootball

Olympique de Marseille have now confirmed the departure of Vitinha (23) on loan to Genoa CFC until the end of the season with an option to purchase the player.

The Portuguese striker arrived in Marseille last January for a record fee but has struggled since his move, In what looks to be his last game for the club, Vitinha missed a number of opportunities, and the image of the striker failing to score against an open net in the dying minutes of the game will be a lasting one.

As soon as the whistle blew to the game, Vitinha walked straight off the pitch and down the tunnel. His confidence at Les Phocéens looked to have disappeared entirely, with only 6 goals in 43 appearances for the club, it was hard to imagine how he would recover his form in that environment.

A move away from Marseille looked to be the best option for both the player and the club. Marseille will hope to recoup their losses on Vitinha through a double deal for the forward and Ruslan Malinovskyi (30), while Vitinha can look to a fresh start away from the pressures of a price tag that hung heavy over his head.

GFFN | Nick Hartland