Marseille star Mason Greenwood has made a promising start to his Ligue 1 career since making the switch from Manchester United during the summer transfer window, and teammate Ulisses Garcia has exclusively told GIVEMESPORT that the Old Trafford academy graduate could play a key role in bringing silverware back to the Orange Velodrome.
The one-cap England international was not Les Phoceens' only acquisition from the Premier League, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg completing a move from Tottenham Hotspur and Neal Maupay joining on loan from Everton having seen former Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Roberto De Zerbi head into the French heavyweights' dugout.
Jonathan Rowe also swapped Championship outfit Norwich City for Marseille, linking up on an initial season-long temporary deal which includes an obligation to become permanent, and Garcia is pleased to have seen his teammates make a speedy transition into their new surroundings as they put pressure on Paris Saint-Germain in the title race.
Greenwood Making Positive Impact in France
Winger spearheading push to catch rivals in title race
Marseille winger Mason Greenwood during a pre-match warm-up
Marseille jumped at the opportunity to land Greenwood from Manchester United, in a deal worth in the region of £27million, and he has built on a successful loan spell with La Liga outfit Getafe last season by becoming one of the first names on the team sheet at the Orange Velodrome.
Although the winger was denied from the penalty spot by Saint-Etienne goalkeeper Gautier Larsonneur last weekend, he reacted quickly and dispatched the rebound to chalk up his 10th goal in 14 appearances since embarking on a fresh challenge in Ligue 1 for the first time in his career.
Reigning champions PSG being forced to settle for a goalless draw against Auxerre resulted in Marseille being able to close the gap on their rivals to five points at the top of the table, and Garcia is adamant that Greenwood's productivity in the final third of the pitch gives his side hope of increasing the pressure after the winter break.
"Mason has been a great help to the team since his arrival in the summer," said the left-back, speaking exclusively to GIVEMESPORT on behalf of Ligue 1. "He is capable of finding the net with either foot, which is amazing because it means that he can score goals from almost every position on the pitch.
Mason Greenwood's statistics for Marseille in Ligue 1 this season
"He has been really good for the team, and we hope he will stay at the level he has found for the rest of the season. Having 10 goals and two assists so far this campaign is a big help for us as we look to reach our targets.
"We want to be a very good team and, for sure, we all dream of winning a trophy for Marseille. That is in the mind of everyone within the club. We don't talk about PSG but, of course, we want to win as many games as possible. We want to be dangerous, beat every team and get points on the board in Ligue 1."
De Zerbi Made Tactical Changes After Arrival
Tactician took charge after leaving Brighton at end of last season
Marseille head coach Roberto De Zerbi on the touchline
Although Garcia arrived in the south of France less than 12 months ago, having joined after making close to 200 appearances for Young Boys, Marseille have changed considerably. His move to the Orange Velodrome came when Italian icon Gennaro Gattuso was at the helm, while Jean-Louis Gasset took charge from February until the end of last term.
Those managerial changes resulted in De Zerbi becoming the Switzerland international's third head coach in the space of six months, with the tactician not hesitating to grasp the opportunity to boss one of France's most historic clubs in the aftermath of parting company with Brighton.
The now-45-year-old enjoyed a productive spell at the Amex Stadium, leading the Seagulls to their highest-ever position in the Premier League and European qualification for the first time in their history as a sixth place finish in the top flight allowed them to bag a place in the Europa League.
Garcia has enjoyed working under De Zerbi, and the influx of Premier League talent thanks to being active in the summer transfer window has resulted in him entertaining the possibility of eventually trying his luck in England despite currently being happy on Marseille's books.
"Since the head coach's arrival, he hasn't changed a lot," added the 28-year-old, who has made eight appearances this season despite missing the victory at Saint-Etienne last weekend. "There has been an evolution tactically because there has been a big focus on that side of things. It took a bit of time to adapt to that.
"Mason, Pierre-Emile and Neal have come in from the Premier League but, of course, I am really focused on Marseille. Eventually going to England is something interesting for me to think about. Obviously, I am always looking to the Premier League to see what is happening there, but my main focus is Marseille right now."
Paris St Germain's Ousmane Dembele Related
French Ligue 1 Table: Latest football standings for 2024/2025 season
Ligue 1 Standings
Garcia Eager to Book Champions League Spot
Left-back wants to build on promising opening months of campaign
Ulisses Garcia in action for Marseille against Monaco
Marseille will face a stern test as they bid to close the gap on PSG before the fast-approaching winter break as Lille, fresh from sealing a 3-2 triumph over Sturm Graz to boost their chances of progressing in the Champions League, are poised to make the trip to the Orange Velodrome for a key Ligue 1 encounter on Saturday.
Although Garcia is satisfied with how Les Phoceens have begun life under De Zerbi, with them having the opportunity to move to within two points of the table-toppers if they emerge victorious and Lyon pick up a statement win at the Parc des Princes, he is desperate to compete in Europe's elite competition and deliver silverware for a raucous fanbase.
"I think we are having a great season because we are in second place, but we have had some ups and downs along the way," conceded Garcia, when speaking exclusively to GMS. "We have dropped too many points at home, but coming from behind to beat Monaco earlier this month was really important for us.
"We showed a lot of character to turn the game around, and that helped us a lot. My main goal is to play as much as possible this season because I want to help the team to deliver. I want to defend well because that's my role in the team. As a collective unit, we all want to qualify for the Champions League.
"Only thinking about winning a trophy has left me lost for words. Winning something here in Marseille would be so nice. I hope we can do that for the fanbase because they have been waiting a long time for silverware. We really want to celebrate winning a trophy and to bring something back to the fans because they are amazing every week."
Garcia Dreaming of Involvement at World Cup
Switzerland international desperate to play key role in qualification
Ulisses Garcia in action for Switzerland
Garcia is no stranger to holding silverware aloft, having got his hands on the Swiss Super League title five times during a productive spell at Young Boys and also won the Swiss Cup twice, but he has not been so fortunate since heading onto pastures new with Marseille close 12 months ago.
While being crowned a Ligue 1 champion and clinching the Coupe de France trophy are high on the former Werder Bremen man's wishlist, representing his country at the 2026 World Cup would be the pinnacle of his career.
Having discovered that Switzerland will face Sweden, Slovenia and Kosovo in qualifying - thanks to the draw taking place in Zurich on Friday - Garcia is relishing the challenge of attempting to bag a spot in the competition held in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.
"For sure, it is my desire to play for the national team at the World Cup," admitted Garcia, who has won 10 caps but went through the agony of missing out on making the squad for the last tournament in Qatar and Euro 2024. "It's a big dream, and I work every day to try and make it a reality.
"I am really confident about the qualification campaign. I think we have a good team, and we can qualify for the World Cup. I have adjusted to Ligue 1 after it was not easy to adapt from the Swiss Super League at the beginning. I am now getting better, and I'm very happy to be at Marseille as I look towards the World Cup."
All statistics courtesy of Sofascore - correct as of 13/12/2024