Olympique de Marseille (OM) has officially announced the signing of Brazilian winger Igor Paixão from Feyenoord. The 24-year-old U23 international has signed a five-year contract with the Ligue 1 club. The transfer fee is reported to be around €30 million, with potential performance-related bonuses that could bring the total package to €35 million. According to reports, this makes Paixão one of Marseille's most expensive signings in history.
Paixão's arrival at the Vélodrome comes after an impressive season with Feyenoord in the Netherlands. He played a crucial role in their KNVB Cup victory and their journey to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. Last season, the former Coritiba player recorded 18 goals and 19 assists in all competitions. In 129 appearances for Feyenoord, Paixão scored 39 goals and provided 23 assists. His best season was this past one, where he scored 18 goals and assisted 14 in 47 games across all competitions.
This move signifies Paixão's return to top-tier European football, having featured in 17 Champions League matches during the 2024-25 season, where he scored twice and assisted five times. Marseille faced competition from Premier League side Leeds United for his signature, but Pablo Longoria, OM's president, personally led negotiations to secure the highly sought-after forward. Feyenoord reluctantly agreed to the deal after Paixão expressed his desire to join Marseille.
Paixão is the fifth summer signing under Marseille's new head coach, Roberto De Zerbi, joining Facundo Medina (Lens), Angel Gomes (Lille), CJ Egan-Riley (Burnley), and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Brazilian is expected to seamlessly integrate into De Zerbi's high-intensity, possession-based system, likely playing on the left flank.
Born in Curia, Brazil, Paixão developed his skills at Coritiba before moving to European football in 2022. He quickly adapted to the Eredivisie. According to Tuttomercato, the transfer is valued at 35 million euros, marking him as the most expensive player in the club's history, surpassing the previous record of 32 million euros set by Vitinha in January 2023.
