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Legends

The story continues: André Ayew returns to Le Havre

André Ayew is back! After missing the first month of the season, his contract with the Norman club having expired in the summer, the Ghanaian legend will play another season in Ligue 1 McDonald's, more than 17 years on from making his debut with Olympique de Marseille under Albert Emon. With his return to the top flight, what better time to look back at his long career, highlighting some of the key moments he's had a hand in in French football.
E. DEVIN
Published on 10/07/2024 at 22:00
2-minute read
André Ayew has re-signed with Le Havre for the rest of the season.

A precocious rise

The son of the legendary Abdedi Pele, a part of Marseille's Champions League win in 1993, and one of the top African footballers in the early 1990s, Ayew's early career saw him turn out for the youth teams of 1860 Munich and then with Nania, his father's academy in the Ghanaian capital of Accra. As a teenager, he made the move to join Marseille, following in his father's footsteps. As a teenager under Emon and Éric Gérets, he played sparingly in a side that boasted the likes of Samir Nasri, Mathieu Valbuena and Bolo Zenden. 

He spent the next two seasons on loan, first at Lorient and then at Arles-Avignon, where he helped the unfancied southern side win a shock promotion. Back with his parent club for the 2010-11 season, he was unable to help them defend their title, but was impressive throughout, netting eleven goals in the league as the team finished second and won the Coupe de la Ligue. 

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Becoming a leader

A key element of an attack-minded side that also featured André-Pierre Gignac, Loïc Rémy and Brandão, Marseille played thrilling football throughout Ayew's time with the club, and would win another Coupe de la Ligue in 2012, as well as regularly playing in the Champions League, including a famous elimination of Inter Milan that year. While Ayew never stopped being a productive player, he would eventually leave the club on a free transfer, winning the Prix Marc-Vivien Foé in his final season before playing in the Premier League as well as in Turkey and Qatar.  

After a fruitless spell at Nottingham Forest, and starting last season out of the game, Ayew's career looked to be drifting. But showing great resilience, he joined a troubled Le Havre side in November, and while it took him a short while to return to full fitness, he would go on to score five goals for the Norman side, proving decisive in a three-all draw against his former side Lorient with a spectacular bicycle kick in stoppage time. Now back at the Stade Océane, and working under a new manager in Didier Digard, Ayew will again look to be decisive for a side who need an injection of attacking flair on the back of four straight losses. 

Read more:

 Abdallah Sima: Brest's UCL specialist

Lucas Chevalier "The greatest win in Lille's history"

Header: Le Havre

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