New recruits strengthen Marseille

Olympique de Marseille have signed defender Juan Ángel Krupoviesa on loan from CA Boca Juniors and have also brought in unsettled RC Lens winger Kanga Akalé.

Boca hopeful
The 28-year-old former Club Estudiantes de La Plata player Krupoviesa joins fellow new recruit Charles Kaboré, a midfielder from Burkina Faso, at the French club with a view to making a permanent move to France in the summer. OM have also signed forward Akalé from on loan until the summer, with the Ghanaian having made just nine league appearances since joining Lens from AJ Auxerre in the summer.

Akalé available
The 26-year-old Akalé has been left out of the Ghana squad which will compete at the African Cup of Nations meaning he will be free to step straight into the squad at Marseille, who face FC Spartak Moskva in the UEFA Cup Round of 32 in February. The former Stella Club Adjamé player represented Swiss sides FC Sion and FC Zürich before joining Auxerre in January 2003, and winning French Cups in
2002/03 and 2004/05.

Belgium beckons
While Akalé has headed to Marseille, Lens have agreed to loan 21-year-old defender Adil Hermach to Belgian side KSV Roeselare until the summer. Hermach has spent three years in the Lens reserve team without making a Ligue 1 appearance.