'Getting up in the morning was hard' - USMNT star Tim Weah admits he arrived at Marseille a 'broken player' after tough spell with Juventus

Weah moved to Turin in the summer of 2023, with Juve paying a little over €10 million (£9m/$12m) in order to secure his signature. His versatility was put to good use in Italy, as the Bianconeri asked him to fill a variety of positions, but regular starts were never guaranteed.

The opportunity to head back to Ligue 1 was embraced by the former Paris Saint-Germain and Lille winger in 2025. An initial loan agreement at Stade Velodrome includes an obligation to buy that will be triggered at around €18 million (£16m/$21m) in the next transfer window.

Weah is pleased to have escaped Juventus, where he never truly felt comfortable and found it difficult to motivate himself. He has told reporters in France of fully embracing a fresh start: “When I arrived here, they took on a player who was a bit broken, lacking in confidence. Getting up in the morning was hard for me, going to training. Because things weren't going well for me. So they took a chance on me.”

Weah now claims to feel “a bit like a Marseillais”, having been taken to the hearts of a new fan base. He is also enjoying working under enigmatic Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi - the man that talked him into a bold move.

The 25-year-old New York native added: “The coach really believed in me. He called me at four in the morning in my pajamas, on FaceTime. He was smoking, and he said, 'Tim, you have to come here. You'll see, this is your home.' And at the airport, I was received as if I were at home.”

Having taken in 28 appearances for Marseille, including a history-making outing against Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu in the Champions League, Weah says that he is now hoping “to stay here for a long time, if I can”.

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Weah has previously told Le Dauphine Libere of adjusting to life on the Mediterranean coast: “I put myself in my own bubble… but it's also a thrill, an honour. Playing in a stadium full for every match, with the shouts of the fans, is special. There aren't many similar stadiums in the world.

“I really want to succeed here. In France, all the other clubs, all the other fans are against OM. We are opposed everywhere and I like this aspect of being alone against everyone.”

Being back in France also means that Weah can return to Paris on a regular basis a - city that saw him step out of the academy system at PSG. He has said of those trips: “It's funny, I run into more OM supporters than PSG supporters in Paris. Every time I go back up there to see friends, I meet OM fans. That's also what shocked me. It's incredible. We're everywhere!”

Weah insists that Marseille were the only club he truly connected with after being linked with teams across Europe - including some in the Premier League - with a return to France making sense for all concerned. 

He said of that decision: “There were other clubs, but as soon as they [Marseille] called me, there was only one club. For me, it's perfect. There's competition. We know the stadium and the fans.”

His move also has the support of those back home, with USMNT legend Alexi Lalas saying when Weah’s switch was confirmed: “I think this is a good move for Tim Weah... I think he and his agent played this well in terms of getting to a place where I think he recognises he's going to have a good chance of playing and where he's going to be comfortable.”

Weah has become that, with three goals and four assists to his name, and is determined to help ensure that Marseille return to the Champions League next season - with a testing clash against PSG next on the agenda for De Zerbi’s side.