Lille head coach Bruno Génésio has expressed confidence in his new Nigerian striker, Chuba Akpom, believing the forward will be a valuable asset to the club in the coming months.
Akpom, who joined Lille from Ajax Amsterdam last week, made his debut for the French side on Saturday in their 2-1 home defeat to struggling Le Havre.
The 29-year-old started on the bench but was introduced at the start of the second half, replacing Rémy Cabella.
He made an instant impact, scoring a late consolation goal, though it was not enough to salvage a result for Lille.
Despite his disappointment with the loss, Génésio praised Akpom’s instinctive finishing and believes the striker has a lot to offer the team.
Génésio impressed with Akpom's output
“Scoring is always a good sign for a striker. Chuba was opportunistic on that play,” Génésio said after the match.
“He still needs time to adapt to our system and understand what we expect from him.
“His goal will boost his confidence and hopefully be a valuable asset for us in the final stretch of the season.”
Though yet to earn a cap for Nigeria, Akpom has repeatedly stated his willingness to represent the Super Eagles at the international level.
With the defeat, Lille remain fifth in Ligue 1 with 35 points from 21 matches as they continue their push for a European qualification spot.
They currently trail league leaders Paris Saint-Germain by 18 points as the race for continental football intensifies.
Despite the setback, Akpom’s promising debut offers hope for Lille as they look ahead to the remainder of the season.
