Marseille sporting director Jose Anigo has revealed that it was the French club who pulled the plug on Andre-Pierre Gignac’s proposed loan move to Fulham after failing to agree terms with Juventus forward Amauri.

Gignac, out of favour at Marseille just a year after his big-money move from Toulouse, flew over to London yesterday to finalise a season-long loan to Fulham and looked set to side for Martin Jol’s side after the London club agreed to pay his £60,000-a-week wages in full. But the deal fell through after Amauri backed out of a potential move to the Stade Velodrome and Gignac headed back to Marseille.

Amigo said:

Amauri wanted to come, but after he did some thinking it stalled and he did not arrive. With Fulham there was an agreement but the deal was not confirmed. It was close to the deadline.

In order not to take any chances we stopped the negotiations and Andre-Pierre Gignac returned to Marseille. He was OK with signing for Fulham and it seemed to please him. But he is back with good intentions. We talked and he intends to continue his career.

UPDATE: Here are some quotes from Gignac, who seems a little annoyed at not being able to join Fulham.

Last Tuesday I was asked by the club to come and talk with my agent. We were told l’OM wanted to sign a forward so they would then be listening to offers for me.

We were told about Olympiakos and Fulham. I decided to listen to the London side. We went there and immediately we felt their interest was concrete and serious. We were interested. We spent the evening with coach Martin Jol and his wife.

On Wednesday we had a medical. It was a wonderful welcome. So on Wednesday it was all okay. Fulham agreed with l’OM. At 11.30 pm [CET] they called me to say I have to go back to Marseille because my forward replacement would not come.

I was in London so called to help l’OM sign a forward, but it could not be resolved. Three minutes after calling me to come back to Marseille, I was called again as there was an opportunity to go to Sunderland. I could not reply yes to Sunderland and no to Fulham, because l’OM just made the decision of a swap deal with Gyan.

At Fulham they wanted me. I didn’t see anyone at Sunderland. I’m not a mercenary. I’m not angry, but I have a bitter taste in my mouth.