Lyon could lose attacking trio

LYON look set to lose several of their best attacking players in the summer according to reports in France.

Sidney Govou looks like heading the exodus from Stade Gerland with several top European clubs rumoured to be interested in him.

Paul Le Guen is loathed to lose the young striker but the club may find offers of around £17 million hard to resist for the highly-rated starlet.

Liverpool are said to be one of the clubs credited with an interest but the player's agent Frederic Guerra says the player does not want to jeopardise his international chances.

"Sidney needs to be playing games, that is all," Guerra told L'Equipe.  "If he leaves for a foreign club, he will need time to adapt, you never know what can happen. 

"If there were no European Championships then there would be no problem but it is not really a good time to leave."

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas confirmed to L'Equipe that the player will not leave Le Championnat high-flyers, unless a considerable bid is made for his services.

"I don't need the money," added the chairman. "But I am ready to make good business, even if for the moment I haven't received any offers.

"I think Govou, who is under contract to Lyon until 2007, will remain here for one more season.

"Don't forget there is still Euro 2004 to think about."

Brazilian star Sonny Anderson is another big-name apparently on his way out of the club.

The 32-year-old is enjoying a rich vein of form since returning from his long injury lay-off and is out of contract in 2004.

Several French sides would be keen to add the former Barcelona man to their ranks with Marseille, Paris Saint Germain and Monaco all fans of the Samba star's attacking flair.

Aulas confirmed to L'Equipe the South American was free to leave in the summer but hoped he would prolong his stay with the club.

"He is under contract until 2004, but it is true, he can leave at the end of the season," said the club president.

"I gave him my word last season. I hope he will stay. But he would not refuse a fabulous chance to move on.

"We offered him a new five-year contract after he has finished playing. But if he finds a club, he will come to see me and I won't prevent him from leaving, as a reward for everything he has done."

Finally Eric Carriere is said to complete the list of attackers on their way out of the current league leaders.

The player has been the subject of terrace taunts in recent weeks which are said to have unsettled the Frenchman.

Carriere's former Nantes coach Raynald Denoueix, now manager of La Liga side Real Sociedad, is a known admirer of the attacking midfield star but will probably be unable to afford the club's £6 million asking price.

Aulas also said he was keen to welcome back players who had been out on loan over various stages of the season in the summer.

"Laurent Montoya, Florent Laville and Marc-Vivien Foe who are all loaned-out, will come back.

"We will also give five-six young players from our academy, professional contracts.

"There will also be some new signings. Next summer we hope to welcome English, Spanish and Italian players.

"There is nothing in the rules that says it's just one way and we can't sign their players."