Football News : Lille boss Garcia keen to keep Cole

By ESPN staff

Lille manager Rudi Garcia is keen to have Joe Cole at the club again next season following a successful loan spell at the Stade Metropole.

GettyImagesJoe Cole has enjoyed a career renaissance since swapping Liverpool for Lille

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Cole is heading back to parent club Liverpool after spending this campaign on loan at the Ligue 1 side, scoring four goals in 27 appearances.

But Garcia, under whom the England international has enjoyed a renaissance, would welcome the prospect of Cole returning should Lille be able to reach an agreement with the Merseysiders.

"From a sporting angle we w ould like to keep him," Garcia said. "But he does not belong to us and he has not discussed matters with Liverpool.

"It is a very fluid situation. The only certainty for the moment is that he is returning to Liverpool, the club to which he belongs."

Lille are expected to be in the market for a midfielder this summer, with starlet Eden Hazard almost certain to leave the club.

Cole was rarely in the first-team picture under Kenny Dalglish, but could find himself involved more often at Anfield next season now that the Scot has left the club.