George Burley has told misfit winger Ulrich Le Pen to get himself ready for pre-season training at Portman Road. The Frenchman had been widely tipped to move on after making just two appearances as sub since joining from Lorient in November last year.
Le Pen had been interesting Racing Club de Strasbourg but, as we reported yesterday, the newly-promoted side have turned their attentions to Liverpool's Bernard Diomède.
The 28-year old had described his period at Town as "a negative one”, after spending the majority of his time since his move either on the treatment table or in the reserves. However, George Burley has told him to ready himself for next season's onslaught on the Nationwide Division One title:” When I spoke to Ulrich I told him I wanted him back for pre-season training. There is no doubt the boy has ability. He has a tremendous left foot and he's a good pro who works hard. A good pre-season would do him the world of good.
"Ulrich was very unlucky to be injured on his debut and he had a difficult six months with us, picking up knee strains nearer the end of the season.”
Le Pen's agent, Fabrice Picot, says his client was unsurprisingly less than impressed at his first taste of life at Town: "He needs to play. He was not very happy last season because he wasn't playing, but you would expect that. Now he has been told there is a good chance of him playing next season.
However, Picot believes that Town would still listen to offers for the £1.8 million signing: "I am sure if there was an offer for Ulrich the club would listen, but there have been no offers yet. The market is very slow. But the impression he has been given is that George Burley wants to keep him.”
The Town manager feels that, like many foreign signings before him, Le Pen needs time to get used to the extra pace of the British game, citing Arnold Muhren, Frans Thijssen and Mauricio Taricco as examples.