Is Florian Thauvin making the right choice?

It’s done, Florian Thauvin has officially signed up to the Monterrey Tigers in Mexico. In the sights of a lot of people for a few seasons, and while OM could have drawn a nice benefit, the world champion will finally leave Canebière free of any contract. The choice to change continent can have its share of benefits. He is going to live a unique experience and will be incubated by his friend André-Pierre Gignac, in addition to receiving a large salary. The problem is that he risks isolating himself from European football and Didier Deschamps. Foot 24hfootnews gives an account of this transfer which surprised more than one.

YES :

A comfortable living environment

Even if he is 28 years old and still have good years ahead of him with the ball in his foot, the choice of Florian Thauvin can be understood, like that made by André-Pierre Gignac in 2015 when he also left Olympique de Marseille for Monterrey. . In Mexico, the French winger will discover a whole different culture, another way of life and a different vision of football. After spending his entire career in France and England, in Newcastle, the World Champion may have needed a change and the exotic destination is understandable. Especially since there, the old Magpie will not be disoriented either.

Crazy atmospheres

Used to the warm atmospheres of the Orange Vélodrome, and therefore also to the full stadiums of the Premier League, Florian Thauvin will also discover a big atmosphere at the Tigers with speakers always full before the arrival of the coronavirus and crazy fans at the Estadio Universitario, the club’s stadium. And concerning the competitions, there will also be something to do with a Liga MX (the local championship) which is always as interesting and especially the possibility of playing the CONCACAF Champions League or the Copa Libertadores. Not to mention the Club World Cup in which the Tigers participated in February with a lost final against Bayern Munich.

Become a key player in one of the best teams on the continent

Finally, two other aspects must have seduced Florian Thauvin. There is of course the financial side, with a net annual salary of 5M € and a signing bonus of the same amount. Because with the financial crisis linked to Covid-19, not sure that the current OM player would have the same salary in another European club. Finally, we must not forget that within the Tigres de Monterrey, the player trained in Grenoble will have the opportunity to become a real star of the workforce as has become André-Pierre Gignac who even entered the history of the Monterrey team.

NO :

He compromises his future in the French team

2018 world champion having played only a handful of minutes against Argentina in the round of 16, Thauvin has never been one of Didier Deschamps’ steadfast people. Called for the first time in March 2017 in the company of a certain Kylian Mbappé, he had his first cape in June against Paraguay. He will have to wait another year and a half before starting a meeting in the blue jersey, during a France-Iceland (2-2) which will not be remembered. From the top of his 10 selections (1 goal against Andorra), the winger has never really convinced. He has also never been summoned since the summer of 2019, in particular because of his white 2019/2020 season. Between his departure for Mexico and the return to form of his competitors at the post (Dembélé, Martial, Coman), Thauvin has little chance of returning to the France team soon.

He comes out of the radars

Mexico is not really the most publicized championship in France, far from it, even if the coming of Gignac especially, then of Delort or Ménez, could have put this football a little more in light. By leaving there, Thauvin risks gradually disappearing from the radars here, as on those of Didier Deschamps elsewhere. It is always easier to follow the different competitions filmed by the main broadcasters here (not to mention the jet lag). The public, like recruiters, will probably take less time to scrutinize him, especially at 28, he is already entering the second half of his career. After the Tigers, it will undoubtedly be difficult to bounce even higher.

He gives up on a good European club

Since his very good 2017/2018 season when he carried OM to the Europa League final, Thauvin had a very good rating on the market. “80 million euros for Thauvin? I’m not even looking ”, even dared Jacques-Henri Eyraud that summer. Today, the left-hander is no longer worth this price. Moreover, he probably never won it but several big European clubs have taken information about him. This was the case with AC Milan recently who wanted to recruit him free, but in the past Sevilla were interested in him, just like Tottenham, Roma or Naples. If they are not the current top clubs, these teams could always have served as a springboard to join the continental elite. With this departure for Mexico, the doors of a large European team should not open any time soon.