Senegalese international Pape Gouille has been suspended by FIFA from all competitions pending an investigation into the transfer of the midfielder from Watford to Marseille.
The revelation was made this Friday by the Senegalese coach at the African Cup of Nations (CAN). Aliou Cisse did not hide his regret that he learned about the situation shortly before the match with Guinea Conakry, in the second round of the CAN group B, which ended in a goalless draw and who did not have an average of 22 years in options.
“Guyet had problems outside the national team, with Marseille. There were problems with the transfer from Watford to Marseille [ndr: em 2020] and FIFA disqualified him. Until an appeal is filed, he will not be able to play with us. In fact, we were only informed of this situation five minutes before the start of the game against Guinea Conakry,” he said, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Gouyet ended his contract with French side Le Havre in June 2020. Two months earlier, in April, he had signed a provisional agreement with Watford, a contract that would come into effect on 1 July of that year and was even announced by the English club. However, Guye later changed his mind and broke his agreement with the English team, claiming he was “badly advised” in the process. The African eventually signed a contract until 2024 with Marseille, the club he currently plays for, which was then coached by Portuguese André Villas-Boas.
