Marseille set to beat Premier League trio to Braga striker Vitinha

Olympique Marseille have stolen a march on the chasing pack in the race to sign in form Braga striker Vitinha, according to OJogo.

Vitinha is in high demand this month following a series of impressive displays that has seen him record 13 goals and five assists across all competitions for his Portuguese club this season.

The 22-year-old striker has also netted four goals in five Europa League appearances, showcasing his ability to perform at the highest level.

Premier League clubs Southampton, Aston Villa, and Brighton & Hove Albion looked set to slug it out for Vitinha’s signature as they look to bolster their attacking ranks.

However, Marseille have beaten the English trio to Portugal Under 21 international, and a move to the Ligue 1 giants is all but completed.

Vitinha, who graduated through the youth ranks at Braga, has a €30 million release clause in his current contract.

While the Premier League clubs were debating on whether or not to trigger the clause, Marseille have reportedly offered €32m, which proved decisive in overcoming competition for his services.

Vitinha will become Braga’s most expensive sale in the club’s history, surpassing the €31m Barcelona paid for Francisco Trincao in the summer of 2020.

Marseille were keen to sign a new striker after failing to convince fellow Ligue 1 side Lorient to sell 23-year-old Nigerian international Terem Moffi, who was also attracting interest from several English clubs.

Igor Tudor’s side are currently third in the French league table and are looking to strengthen their squad for the second half of the season to compete with current league leaders Paris Saint-Germain for the title.

Vitinha will sign a long-term contract with Marseille and become the second player to join Les Olympiens this winter after Azzedine Ounahi, who joined from relegation-threatened Angers.

The midfielder was highly sought after following his exceptional performances for Morocco at the 2022 World Cup and could prove good value for money going forward.