Blanc Targets Silvestre, Gourcuff and Ménéz

Reports last week suggested that Blanc was in the market for a left-sided defender and an attacking midfield player, information given credence when the news broke that Johan Micoud and David Jemmali would not be retained by les Girondins.

French daily sports paper L'Equipe today bore this out further by explaining that Blanc is targeting Mickaël Silvestre of Manchester United, Yohann Gourcuff of AC Milan and Jérémy Ménez of AS Monaco.

Blanc was certainly in the market for Silvestre around a year ago, but failed to snare the stopper. Twelve months on the circumstances are different: the versatile left-sided defender has struggled to break into the United side this season due to the outstanding form of Patrice Evra and, with only one year remaining on his contract, Sir Alex Ferguson may decide to cash in on the Frenchman.

Gourcuff is a talented attacking midfield player that is seen as a natural successor to Micoud, clever in possession although not yet of the standard to break into AC Milan's starting eleven. It may well be that any deal with the French under-21 international is in the form of a loan; however, Marseille and Tottenham are also thought to be keen on the former Rennes player.  

Last but by no means least of the trio is deliciously talented Monaco winger-cum-forward Jérémy Ménez, who has enjoyed an excellent season with the struggling Monegasque side. Ménez, another youthful, creative player, has already expressed his interest in playing with Bordeaux and is a very realistic target for les Marin et Blanc.

Having worked with a first team squad of around twenty-one this season Blanc is looking to expand his squad a little for next season's assault on the Champions League and is unlikely to offload many of his current players.

Robin Bairner