Renard to take charge at Lille

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Renard, who resigned as manager of Ivory Coast on Friday, had been expected to join the Ligue 1 side and the club have announced the appointment.

The 46-year-old led Ivory Coast to Africa’s showpiece football title in February 2015 and three years previously also famously guided Zambia to the same crown.

“It’s an honour to arrive at a club as prestigious as Lille,” Renard told the club’s official website.

“I said to myself after the Cup of Nations success it would be hard to do better and I would need other challenges.

“A very exciting challenge is on the horizon and I’m counting on rising to it with ambition.”

Renard is expected to sign a three-year deal with the club which finished eighth in this season’s French top flight on Tuesday.

Lille’s poor finish to the season means the club will miss out on European football next season, Girard having led them to a third-placed finish last season.

He has worked previously France top tier, coaching Sochaux during the 2013-2014 season as they unsuccessfully battled to avoid relegation to Ligue 2.

Renard has already started work on his new team requesting that captain Rio Mavuba’s contract be extended.