Antoine Kombouaré confirmed on Wednesday the desire of FC Nantes to part ways with Alban Lafont during the winter transfer window. The Canaries coach also justified the goalkeeper's sidelining after the recruitment of Anthony Lopes and his complicated start to the season in Ligue 1.
Barrage despite the draw won in Lille (1-1) during the 16th day of Ligue 1, Nantes made a big change during the month of January. Released from his contract at Lyon, Anthony Lopes joined the Canaries during the winter transfer window. A recruitment which pushes Alban Lafont towards the exit as confirmed this Wednesday by Antoine Kombouaré.
“Alban Lafont is about to leave,” assured the technician when he returned to face journalists after a small falling out. “From that moment on, he was apart of the group.”
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“He’s training but he wasn’t into it”
Indisputable starter at the start of the season, and even captain once again in the championship, Alban Lafont has lost his place since the draw obtained in Paris (1-1) at the end of November. At the start, the 25-year-old goalkeeper even seemed affected by his situation in Nantes and Antoine Kombouaré preferred to exclude him from the pro group. A choice clearly justified this Wednesday.
“I really hope that he finds a club so that he can flourish and simply play. He is training but he was not into it,” continued the Kanak coach before the Monaco reception on Friday in opening of the 17th day of L1. “I preferred, in discussing with him, to put him away from the group so that he could concentrate on his departure and so that we could work on what was important.” Before adding: “I wanted boys who were 100% involved.”
Lafont did not find a club during the summer
Already a candidate for departure during the summer transfer window, Alban Lafont ultimately remained in Nantes due to lack of offer according to Antoine Kombouaré.
“It was planned” for him to leave this summer and “he found nothing,” the technician even confirmed this Wednesday to journalists. A situation which could have recurred this winter with the non-signing of the 25-year-old goalkeeper in Lens, where his profile is not unanimously accepted to take over from Brice Samba.
And Antoine Kombouaré concludes his revelations on the future of Alban Lafont by explaining that Anthony Lopes could have joined the Canaries earlier during the season, “if he had left, I think Anthony would already be with us “.
Jean-Guy Lebreton with Pierre-Yves Leroux
