Lille coach Rudi Garcia admits he could be lured into the January transfer market, with attacking reinforcements top of his shopping list.
Lille boss may look to bring in a striker during winter window
Lille coach Rudi Garcia admits he could be lured into the January transfer market, with attacking reinforcements top of his shopping list.
The reigning Ligue 1 champions are set to lose Moussa Sow and Idrissa Gueye to Senegal during the African Cup of Nations, while Brazilian forward Tulio De Melo is nursing a serious back problem and Ludovic Obraniak is keen to secure a move elsewhere.
Costa Rican starlet John Jairo Ruiz is poised to join the club on a four-year contract, but he is only 18 and untested in European football.
As a result, Garcia acknowledges that he may be forced to look elsewhere, with it important for Lille to continue providing a cutting edge if they are to successfully defend their title.
He said: "What will we do in the winter market? We will have to be active and try to find players capable of helping us.
Gamble
"In attack, it could be interesting to sign a player with the same profile as Tulio De Melo, as Irek Jelen and Moussa Sow are quite similar."
On Ruiz's imminent arrival, he added: "We don't know if he will be ready to play any time soon.
"He moves very well despite being young and he is very fast.
"Now we will have to see how he adapts. He is a gamble for the future."
