Former Jeddah United defender Luis Felipe joins Marseille on a free transfer with a one-and-a-half-year contract

Marseille officially announced on Tuesday that former Serie A star Luiz Felipe has joined the club as a free agent after leaving Jeddah United. The two sides signed a one-and-a-half-year contract until June 30, 2026.

According to an official statement, Luiz Felipe will wear the No. 4 jersey at Marseille.

The 27-year-old Luiz Felipe was born in Colinas, Brazil, and made his official debut from Ituano on January 30, 2016. In August of the same year, Felipe was bought by Lazio and then leased to Salernitana in Serie B, where he played 7 times and scored 1 goal in a year.

After returning from a loan spell at Salernitana, Felipe gradually grew into a leading figure in Lazio's defense. He played for Lazio for five years before moving to Real Betis, where he made 144 appearances, scored 2 goals and provided 5 assists, winning 1 Coppa Italia and 2 Italian Super Cups.

In July 2023, Felipe joined Jeddah United from Betis for 22 million euros. So far, he has played 28 times for Jeddah United and has failed to score or assist.

For Marseille, Felipe is undoubtedly the ideal choice for the central defender position. Given the uncertain future of Lilian Brasier, the abandonment of Bamo Meit and Chancel Mbemba, and the ups and downs of Derek Cornelius and Leonardo Balerdi, they are in urgent need of an experienced and cost-effective central defender. Roberto De Zerbi said last Sunday: "We are very happy because Luis Felipe is a perfect fit for us in terms of character, quality and experience. He has a strong personal charm, which I think is enough for him to play in this amazing stadium. With his mentality and attitude, he will help us. This is a good thing."