After a long-term knee injury cut short his 2021-22 season with Turkish club Trabzonspor, Ivorian forward Gervinho will be looking to bounce back in Greek football with Aris Thessaloniki FC after completing a free transfer to the Super League side. The 35-year-old veteran assured Aris supporters that he is well recovered from the torn cruciate ligament injury he suffered in late October 2021 and did his research before joining the club, stating his excitement to be playing in front of a group of fans well known for their passion. Gervinho signed on a two-year contract and will hope to push for trophies with Aris after winning the 2021-22 Turkish Super League title with Trabzonspor.
The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations champion also touched the issue of the Ivory Coast national team’s tendency to underachieve in recent years. A talented side with numerous players competing in the highest levels of European football, Les Éléphants continue to compete but come up short in the latter stages of African national team competitions as highlighted by their failure to reach the playoff round of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying. Gervinho pointed out that having plenty of players in the team who compete in the biggest leagues can lead to a collection of egos who can be dissatisfied if not given the playing time or role they prefer and he is still determined to carry on his national team career as a leader in the squad.
