Mavuba swaps Villarreal for Lille

French international midfielder Rio Antonio Mavuba has joined LOSC Lille Métropole on loan for the rest of the season after struggling to make an impact with Villarreal CF.

Troubled move
The 23-year-old signed for the Spanish club from FC Girondins de Bordeaux last summer but has been unable to settle, making just five league appearances for Villarreal. As a consequence Mavuba has lost his place in the national side and has not featured for Les Bleus since winning his sixth cap in a friendly against Austria last March. Mavuba moves to a Lille team who, a year on from reaching the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League, are battling relegation in Ligue 1. Villarreal are third in the Primera División, and face Russian champions FC Zenit St. Petersburg in the UEFA Cup Round of 32 next month.