Lille confirm Roma interest in Basa

Lille boss Rene Girard has said in no uncertain terms that AS Roma are showing interest in star defender Marko Basa.

The Giallorossi coach Rudi Garcia is well aware of the Montenegrin’s qualities having worked with him at Stade Lille Metropole, and club officials are already working on the deal that should see the 31-year-old arrive at Stadio Olimpico.

Lille coach Rene Girard has moved to confirm the transfer talk, hinting that the player is tempted by the prospect of moving to Italian Serie A.

“Basa? I understand that Marko is attracted by the sirens coming from Rome, but my hope is to be able to keep him with us,” Girard confessed to La Voix du Nord. “We’ll know more in the coming days.”

Marko Basa, who had previously spent four years with Le Mans, joined Lille from Lokomotiv Moscow in the summer of 2011 and has since featured in 88 Ligue 1 matches.

And despite helping Lille return to the Champions League after a one-year absence, the Montenegrin seem determined to try and engineer a move to AS Roma in the summer transfer window.