Ligue 1: Lorient and Rennes, two attacks in question which meet on Friday


The transfer window is likely to be agitated at the end of January. Lorient and Rennes seem to be active on several players in Ligue 1. Often active but never on such sums, Lorient is panicking the counters this year with the sale estimated at more than 20 million euros excluding bonuses (a record for the club) from Dango Ouattara to Bournemouth and the current soap opera around Terem Moffi.

The powerful 23-year-old Nigerian, second Ligue 1 scorer this season with 12 goals, is in high demand. At the start of the transfer window, he seemed to be heading for England, but offers from West Ham or Southampton did not convince.

“A bit disturbing period”

The game is now played between Nice and Marseille, at financial levels close to the transfer of Ouattara: from sources close to the club, Moffi has an agreement with the first, Lorient with the second and for the moment nothing changes.

Author of a superb volley two weeks ago in Marseille (3-1 defeat) in the league then absent last week in Bastia in the Coupe de France, Moffi trained normally this week but his presence on the ground on Friday is very uncertain. “It’s a bit of a disturbing period for him,” admitted Régis Le Bris.

“A strong ambition”

Times are not easy for the Lorient coach either: between them, Moffi and Ouattara scored nearly 60% of Les Merlus’ goals during the first leg and without them, his men have already lost momentum since the autumn did not shine in the Coupe de France. Already worried about the entry into the capital of the American businessman Bill Foley, the supporters fear to see Lorient capitalize on its current success, considering that the maintenance is already almost certain.

“I ask you to trust us in the preparation of this second part of the season, which is being built with strong ambition”, however assured the president Loïc Féry on Sunday. Sources close to the club, Lorient discusses with Bamba Dieng, already courted this summer before the Marseillais chose at the last moment a transfer to Nice which finally flipped. The Breton club is also tracking Lyon attacking midfielder Romain Faivre or striker Wilson Isidor, currently under contract at Lokomotiv Moscow.

He does not seem to be counting on his replacements: attacking midfielder Quentin Boisgard has gone on loan to Pau (L2) and Austrian striker Adrian Grbic, a flagship rookie of the 2020 transfer window quickly disappeared from the radar, is heading to Caen or another club in second division.

“If we trust him”

In Rennes, the top scorer Martin Terrier is not on the start but in the infirmary, and this for the entire end of the season. His slaughter, his light strikes and his presence in the aerial game are sorely lacking. And as Arnaud Kalimuendo is affected for a few weeks, Amine Gouiri finds himself far too alone in front. After a cannon start in Rennes (six goals in eight L1 matches), the former Nice player has not been decisive since October.

Regular residents of the infirmary, Jérémy Doku and Kamaldeen Sulemana are available, but are still struggling to find their place in the Rennes game. Here too, sports director Florian Maurice and his team are busy. They have set their sights on Karl Toko Ekambi, in failure in Lyon, also requested by Celta Vigo but seen Wednesday evening at Rennes airport. He “is in difficulty in Lyon but he can revive if we put him in confidence”, assured coach Bruno Genesio, who knows something about it.



Source link -78