Nice look to Laslandes guile

Veteran striker Lilian Laslandes is to spearhead OGC Nice's fight against Ligue 1 relegation after joining them from FC Girondins de Bordeaux for the rest of the season with the option for a further 12 months.

Long career
The 35-year-old is in his 15th consecutive top-flight season since joining AJ Auxerre from FC Libourne-Saint-Seurin in 1992/93, taking in spells at Bordeaux, Sunderland AFC, FC Köln, SC Bastia and Nice, for whom he played in 2003/04 before a second move to the Stade Chaban-Delmas. Capped seven times by France, he helped Bordeaux qualify for this season's UEFA Champions League and then scored in the 3-1 defeat of Galatasaray SK that has taken Ricardo Gomes's side into the UEFA Cup Round of 32, where they meet CA Osasuna.

Pedigree
However, Laslandes will now be aiding Nice, currently second bottom of Ligue 1 with key striker Matt Moussilou having not scored since January 2006. Laslandes brings a fine pedigree to the role, his career total of 125 Ligue 1 goals second only to Pauleta among players currently active in the top flight. Bordeaux are now expected to step up their search for strikers in the January transfer window.