Lille weigh up attacking options after Hamza Igamane ACL blow | OneFootball

Lille travel to Vigo for the Europa League on Thursday at 21:00 amid a sudden goal drought, and Hamza Igamane’s right ACL rupture has sharpened the search up front. L'Équipe reports that the club are weighing whether to bring in cover.

Olivier Giroud relishes Estadio Balaidos. The Europa League has served him well, he won it with Chelsea, 4-1 against Arsenal on 29 May 2019, and was top scorer with 11, though that was six years ago.

Igamane was injured in Morocco’s Africa Cup of Nations final loss to Senegal, 0-1 after extra time, ending his season and possibly beyond, Bruno Genesio fears. Olivier Létang says options range from youth to experience. Matias Fernandez-Pardo, 20, missed the 0-3 defeat at Paris-SG with a muscle issue but returns.

Soriba Diaoune and Angel Yondjo Matah, both 18, are alternatives. Diaoune has featured in five games and scored his first Ligue 1 goal at Auxerre in the 4-3 win on 14 December, though Genesio warns against rushing him. Yondjo has 5 in 6 for the reserves and appears even rawer.

Genesio prefers recruiting, while Létang questions whether a striker who genuinely adds value can be secured, possibly on loan, with buying also feasible, but not for the sake of it. Genesio says any arrival must offset Igamane’s absence and have 10 to 15-goal potential.

Until the window shuts on 2 February at 20:00, Giroud fronts Ligue 1’s third-best attack, 33 goals shared by 14 players, which has scored only once in its past three matches.

Source: L'Équipe