Lille have completed the signing of striker Dimitri Payet on a four-year contract from St Etienne.
Striker attracted by the opportunity to play in the Champions League
Ligue 1 champions Lille have completed the signing of striker Dimitri Payet on a four-year contract from St Etienne.
Lille have agreed a deal in the region of €8million (£7.2m) for Payet and he will help to replace Gervinho, who is tipped to join Arsenal during the summer.
Payet, who scored 13 goals last season, will now have the chance to play in the Champions League next term and he admits the lure of European football was too much to ignore.
"It's a huge satisfaction to finally be here in Lille," he told the club's
official website.
"This was primarily a sporting decision. I was attracted by the future project of the club, a competitive team - here, there is everything to succeed.
"With LOSC I get to play in the Champions League and play a leading role in Ligue 1.
"Although so much happened in my four years at St Etienne, I needed a new adventure. I think Lille are the club that will help me with that."
Reports in France also suggest Lille want to sign Park Chu-young from Monaco and have agreed personal terms with the South Korean striker, but have yet to settle on a fee.
