Fiorentina’s Lirola joins Marseille on loan

Marseille announced on Tuesday they have signed Fiorentina right-back Pol Lirola on loan until the end of the season.

The French club have an option to buy the former Spain Under-21 defender for a reported fee of around 12 million euros ($14.6 million).

Coach Andre Villas-Boas said Lirola had been on sporting director Pablo Longoria’s radar since the summer.

“Pol was already on our list in August. He’s a player who Pablo appreciates. It wasn’t difficult to do, he was interested himself too,” Villas-Boas said during a press conference.

Lirola, 23, has started just four games for the Tuscan club this term after joining from Sassuolo in September.

He will compete with Japan’s Hiroki Sakai for a starting berth in Villas-Boas’ side, who are sixth in Ligue 1.

On Wednesday they head to Lens to face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions Trophy, the French equivalent of a Super Cup that in normal times is the curtain-raiser to the season.