Ivory Coast international Bakari Kone is on the verge of signing a four-year deal with Marseille.
Ivory Coast striker set to sign four-year deal from Nice
Ivory Coast international Bakari Kone is on the verge of signing a four-year deal with Marseille.
Nice were holding out for a fee of 13million euros (£10.3million) for the 26-year-old striker, who still has two years to run on his contract, but the two clubs have reached an agreement on 8million euros (£6.3million).
Kone was the leading scorer for Nice last season with 14 goals in 29 league games and the diminutive forward is relishing the chance to follow in the footsteps of former France defender Basile Boli, who was born in the Ivory Coast, and international team-mate Didier Drogba, who left Marseille for Chelsea in 2004.
"I am very happy to join this wonderful club, it is a dream come true," he told
skysports.com.
Dream
"I was a child when one famous Ivorian (Boli) scored for Marseille to win the Champions League and I dreamt about the club when Didier was scoring for them.
"This club is a succes for Ivorian players and I would like to carry that on, I'm delighted."
Kone has been top scorer for Nice in each of his three seasons at the club since joining from FC Lorient in 2005, scoring a total of 29 goals in 95 league games.
"I would like to thank my old club, they have been brilliant," he added.
"But I need to move on and further my career, to play in the Champions League with top players, and fingers crossed, everything will go smoothly with finalising the contract."
