Ligue 1 special: Rudi Garcia reveals the LOSC Lille’s transfer strategy for this summer
Champions de France and the winners of Coupe de France, Ligue 1 side LOS Lille wrote one of the finest pages in the club’s history last season when they recorded a double last season.
The last time Lille lifted the Ligue 1 title was in the 1953-54 season. Since then the club had seen a torrid time and never managed to replicate the feats that season and the 1945/46 season when they recorded their first-ever domestic double.
Last season, Les Dogues went on to record a domestic double that was 67 years in the making. A young yet experienced side under the guidance of Rudi Garcia, Lille were probably the best team in France and played like http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Real-c30728 champions.
However, the end of the season saw a few players leave the Stade Metropole. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Yohan-Cabaye-c37423 joined
English side Newcastle United while after a long wait, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Arsenal-c38429 were able to sign Cote d’Ivoire international Gervinho.
However, the club has done well in finding the replacements. Marko Basa was signed for Lokomotiv Moscow to replace Adil Rami, Benoit Pedretti replaced the evergreen Yohan Cabaye from Auxerre while http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Gervinho-c14755.
It still remains to be seen whether these changes will be large scale and if Les Dogues will increase the depth or the squad or not.
Balancing the left and right side of defence
While talking to RMC, Rudi Garcia discussed the transfer window activity of the Ligue 1 champions. While talking about the departures, Garcia admitted that Brazilian left-back Emerson might leave the club.
Portuguese giants Benfica have been keeping tabs on the 25-year-old who played a peripheral role in Lille’s Championnat triumph last season.
“There is interest form Benfica. I think that this (move) is being carried out. We have three left sided players while we have http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Emerson-c12442 would help him strengthening
the club’s right-side of defence, he will consider it.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Laurent-Bonnart-c21732 is another player who has been under the radar of Rudi Garcia. The Frenchman is currently on the books of AS Monaco who were relegated to Ligue 2 last season. The 31-year-old full-back’s versatility in playing both as a right-back and as
a left-back interests Garcia so a move for the former Marseille man can’t be ruled out.
An interest in AS Monaco players
AS Monaco’s relegation has alerted quite a few teams this summer. Chu-Young Park, Benjamin Moukandjo and Laurent Bonnart are all linked with a move away from Stade Louis II and Lille are also linked with a few players from the Monte Carlo-based club.
While talking to the media, Rudi Garcia revealed of his interest is both Bonnart and Park. “There are a lot of cases that we have not yet studied. We are looking for a rather versatile player in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Defence-c38904 and a good offensive player. We have to see which players
can be successful here. Bonnart and Park are few of those players we want but we have to make smart choices,” Garcia said.
Careful consideration before recruitment
Currently, all Lille have done in the summer transfer window is hiring replacements for players who left the Stade Villeneuve d’Ascq. Though Les Dogues have more funds in the transfer window than http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Olympique-Lyonnais-c40130, Rudi Garcia
has made it clear that he will not be making big money signings just because his side will be competing in the UEFA Champions League next season.
The French tactician is fully aware that the club needs to become more consistent in Europe and in the domestic league before even considering attracting big name players. The ploy can be considered as a wise one by Garcia who will be looking to make smart
choices in the summer transfer window while keeping in line with the club’s financial conditions.
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