PROFILE | A year of two halves for Marseille’s Amine Gouiri | OneFootball

Amine Gouiri arrived in the Provence region carrying both a reputation and plenty of questions. His time at Lyon, OGC Nice, and Rennes had established him as a Ligue 1 player full of attacking potential. In Brittany, his technical ceiling was never in doubt, but his attacking influence had ebbed and flowed. Marseille’s decision to recruit him mid-season was a calculated risk: immediate responsibility, maximum pressure, and no adaptation period. Gouiri thrived under those conditions.

By the end of the 2024/25 season, that gamble had paid off. With 10 goals in the first half of 2025 the Algerian fox in the box had helped fire Marseille back to Champions League qualification when the pressure was really on. 

“Honestly, it was a very good choice to join OM,” said Gouiri. “Mentally, I was ready, and that translated onto the pitch. I’m very fulfilled, I’m really enjoying it.” That sense of freedom was evident in his performances, blending creativity with end product in a side that had often struggled to marry the two at the start of 2025. 

Gouiri’s ability to produce moments of rare quality was epitomised by his outrageous overhead kick against Brest – voted UNFP Goal of the Season. “It’s all about control,” he explained afterwards. “Instinctively, I tried the bicycle kick, and it went in.” It was a snapshot of a player capable of the spectacular, yet increasingly focused on efficiency.

Injuries strike for Gouiri

Under Roberto De Zerbi, Gouiri’s role evolved further. No longer just a hybrid forward drifting between lines, he was encouraged to embrace the responsibilities of a central striker, even comparing his ceiling to that of Gonzalo Higuaín. “He often tells me I’m a No.9 with the qualities of a No.10. He wants me to become a finisher, a fox in the box. I must have a killer instinct mentally,” he said. The emphasis was clear: less embellishment, more efficiency.

That evolution was beginning to take shape before misfortune struck. A recurring shoulder injury, aggravated on international duty with Algeria, ruled Gouiri out for much of the current season and forced him to miss AFCON. 

De Zerbi has been unequivocal in his support. “Gouiri is a unique player, you can’t replace him,” the Italian insisted. With his absence, Marseille’s frontline has certainly suffered. Marseille have already seen how decisive Gouiri can be when that confidence and lucidity in front of goal align. The next step is seeing whether he can sustain that level over a season. 

GFFN | George Boxall