Mercato OM: Hamed Junior Traoré, a dream come true at the Vélodrome!

An attacking reinforcement tailor-made for the Champions League

Folks, it’s done! After days of waiting and rumors, OM have made the signing of Hamed Junior Traoré official, from Bournemouth. Terms: loan with a near-mandatory option to buy, estimated at €8m, plus a 50% sell-on clause. The 25-year-old Ivorian attacking midfielder is under contract with the club until 2030. Having already been at Sassuolo and Napoli, he’s coming off a standout season with Auxerre (10 goals, 2 assists in 26 matches). A creative, versatile profile arriving at just the right time for Roberto De Zerbi.

A player won over by De Zerbi and OM

As soon as he arrived, Traoré didn’t hide his emotion:

“Marseille is a dream. It’s a big, ambitious club, and so am I. With De Zerbi, whom I know well from our time at Sassuolo, it’s the perfect match.”

The Italian coach, who had already molded him in Italy, weighed heavily in the decision. But the player insists: OM alone was enough to convince him. For him, the Vélodrome is the ideal place to progress, establish himself, and etch his name alongside the many Ivorians who have come through Marseille.

Already integrated into the squad

Arriving in a whirlwind, Traoré described his first 24 hours as “hectic”: phone calls, stress, then relief when he set his bags down at the Vélodrome. From his first training session, he was warmly welcomed by the dressing room, and says he’s 100% physically ready after a good preseason with Bournemouth.

He will wear number 20, following Bilal Nadir and, before him, Lilian Brassier. De Zerbi doesn’t rule out bringing him into the squad quickly, as early as Sunday’s clash with OL.

Versatility and European ambitions

Box-to-box midfielder, left winger or higher up, Traoré can cover several attacking roles. He is clear:

“I’m at the team’s disposal; I’ll give my all, whatever the position.”

And already, he’s looking ahead to the Champions League:

“It’s every player’s dream. We’ve got some great fixtures to play, and we’ll be ready.”

Aware of the competition (Paixão, Gomes, maybe Ceballos), he embraces it as motivation:

“In a big team, competition is normal. At Marseille, if you’re here, it means you’re good.”

Stability and Ivorian legacy

After several successive loans, Traoré finally wants to find stability. Moving his family every year, he says, was no longer viable. In Marseille, he wants to settle in for the long term. And he hasn’t forgotten the strong bond between OM and the Ivory Coast:

“OM are closely followed there. Many Ivorians have shone here. I hope to follow in their footsteps.”

So, Team OM: excited about this signing? Do you see Traoré as an undisputed starter or a luxury game-changer for our European nights? Share your thoughts, the debate is open!