As he reaches the end of a three-year spell with Olympiacos, French midfielder Yann M’Vila once again finds himself at a crossroads in his career. The former Sunderland man, once heavily linked with a move to Arsenal, will leave Greece having lifted the title twice.
In an interview with Goal, the Frenchman reflected on his hopes of finding a new “challenge” and his current state of mind. He explains that first and foremost, he would like to take a rest – “I’ve played 140 matches over the last three seasons”. “Now, I want a challenge, I’m motivated by that, and I’m ready to put in a lot more than what people might think to experience that. When I go to a club, I give everything for that club. I may not have always been good, but I’ve never cheated.”
In the wake of a tell-all interview with Libération earlier this season, in which he recounts his struggles with depression, M’Vila explains that he wanted to speak out so as to tell his story to be at peace with himself The midfielder points out that despite the hardships he’s been through during his career, he remains “passionate” about football and continues to watch games regularly. He highlights Lens’ impressive campaign – finishing second and qualifying for the Champions League group stages – adding that Franck Haise was his coach in his U15 days, as was now-Lorient manager Régis Le Bris.
Regarding his future destination, M’Vila indicates that he is “impatient” to find a new club, explaining that it would be best for a transfer to be completed as soon as possible, so that he can fully take part in pre-season and have well-defined objectives as soon as possible.
The former Rennes man adds that he is not necessarily prioritising a move that would see him stay in Europe – “I’m not 24 anymore […] Now, I’m 32, and I’m really listening to anyone, and whoever will be the most honest with me… I’ve been approached by certain Gulf clubs, I don’t have a preference in particular. I’ve said that I wanted a challenge, but you get that in those countries too – you see it with Cristiano Ronaldo, or other players like Talisca and Vincent Aboubakar. I’m open and all ears to any offers.”
GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin
