Yes, the Racing Club de Lens will experience a very lively winter transfer window. Several issues are already hotly debated, but for the moment, no departure, no arrival, nothing official. Simply confirmation of the departure of Brice Samba in the coming days. Overview with Will Still.
Lensois.com: Will Still, after the transfer window which was carried out in attack this summer, we did not necessarily expect to say that this winter, we must recruit. Your area is relatively depopulated. Are you looking for a striker on loan? A long-term recruit? Have you made any progress in this sector?
Actively. Whether wingers or attackers, there are profiles that are in demand. And there are things that are put in place. So, it's in progress. We are obviously aware of where we need to make progress and move the group forward. But then again, it's January 3rd, I think. There is not yet much movement in the transfer window. So things are falling into place. Things will move, and they will move when they need to move. But for the moment, this is not yet the case. But it is certain that there is work being done.
What about your pistons?
The right piston, no. Because we have Ruben and Franki who are very good. Ruben (Aguilar) will come back, I say, he is already with us on the sessions. So he'll be back soon enough. We still have Tom Pouilly who is there too. So the right piston, no. But there are certain positions, including that of the goalkeeper, and that in the offensive sector, which are targeted. But I don't think that's a request on my part. It's just a consistency within the club, between the management, myself and everyone who watches the team, that there are things to do. And it will happen.
Abdukodir Khusanov is strongly courted. Recently, it was Guardiola’s City who inquired. Is this something you can confirm?
Will Still: In any case, it's still an important element that arouses a lot of desire. Because, obviously, he is a very promising young player. Kodir has displayed a level, since the start of the season, which is extraordinary. I'm not surprised at all. I think the whole world expected that there would be interest in him. And there surely will be. But, again, at this point, these are still just rumors. Once it is an official offer and there is something to say, it will be said and the club will communicate concretely. But there, for the moment, is the beauty of football and the beauty of the transfer window. There are always rumors.
In an interview for L'Equipe in December, Brice Samba talked about a lot of changes in the off-season. Were you prepared for it?
Will Still: What I think about it is that everyone is entitled to their opinion, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Everyone has the right to feel whatever they want to feel. Obviously, I find that a shame. But beyond that, I want to release a certain serenity in the sense that I came to Lens for the club, for the history, for the supporters, for what we want to put in place in the long term. term. I knew there were things that were going to change, I knew there were players who were going to leave, I knew there were executives from the period before me who were going to leave and leave the club. This should have been the case with Kev (Danso) this summer. This will still be the case for other players. And I simply think that it's part of life at a football club. Is this an ideal situation? No, obviously that’s not the case. But he has his opinion, he has his opinion on certain things that I respect, because I will always respect everything. But in advance, we will continue, we will find other solutions and we will continue to win the matches, because that is why I came here.
