Ligue 1 champions LOSC Lille coach, Rudi Garcia has expressed his pleasure at being able to sign striker Nolan Roux from Stade Brestois and is hopeful that he will be a good replacement for Moussa Sow
On Saturday evening, Nolan Roux will play his first game for reigning Ligue 1 champions LOSC Lille in a Ligue 1 encounter against AS Saint-Etienne. The striker joined the club from Stade Brestois a few days back and coach Rudi Garcia was visibly delighted
at being able to capture a player who he had admired for a very long time.
The departure of striker Moussa Sow to Fenerbahce had left Lille’s attacking prowess considerably weak and Garcia was keen on signing a striker this January.
Desiring to go to the next level, Roux finds an ambitious club in Lille with whom he can turn a new page in his professional career.
Garcia feels that the striker has all the qualities to blend in with the rest of the group. While talking to France Football, Garcia said that the striker has a habit of being a nuisance for defenders which is the reason why he signed him.
“He is a mobile player who does a lot of high intensity running, a lot of sprints, in a different style to Gervinho or Erding who also run a lot. I also like his humility.”
Many Les Dogues supporters would be thinking of Moussa Sow when Roux steps onto the pitch but Garcia thinks differently and does not want to put pressure on the new signing.
“There is no pressure to work quickly. It makes sense that there is an adjustment to do. I talked to him. He plays as the axis but can also help on the flanks.”
Roux’s ability to act as a link between the strikers and midfielders would certainly be a valuable attribute for Rudi Garcia. By spending 8 million Euros on a good striker, Garcia knows that there are risks involved.
However, the French tactician feels that the youngster has a lot of room for improvement. Garcia also thinks that his statistics should improve.
When Sow arrived at Lille, he was never a prolific striker but it changed. One can hope for the same to happen for Nolan Roux.