Saints striker moves on

Baseya elects to quit South Coast for Lille

Last updated: 2nd July 2008

BASEYA

Baseya: Lille switch

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Southampton striker Cedric Baseya has left the club in order to join French side Lille on a Bosman free transfer.

The Championship club had been keen to keep hold of the DR Congo international but he has elected to return to his home country France.

Southampton, who had offered the player fresh terms to stay on the South Coast, were only made aware of the situation after receiving a phone call from the Football Association informing them that international clearance had been granted to the player.

"Everyone here tried to contact him to try and persuade him to stay but we wish him well there," PLC chairman Rupert Lowe told the club's official website.

"I think he owes us a lot for the way we have developed him and given him great technical training but he has opted to sign for Lille."

Ruthless cull

Southampton have also elected to release a further six players whose contracts expired this summer.

Inigo Idiakez, Alexander Ostlund, Darren Powell, Mario Licka, Jermaine Wright and Josh Dutton-Black have all been shown the St Mary's exit door.

Lowe added: "We are very grateful to them for their service and wish them well. I have spoken to most of them and tried to call them all personally to thank them although with holidays it has not been possible to speak to them all.

"We notified the players and the Football League by the appropriate deadlines but it was not in our commercial interests to announce the retained list."