Joe Cole heading back to Liverpool.

With a week to go until England meet France in the opening game of Group D at the European Championships, it is probably best to keep relations with our cross-channel neighbours by saying it is a thoroughly nice place. It is, full of vineyards and an artistic culture, but it hasn't got enough to keep Joe Cole there next season.

After spending the last year on loan at Lille, the Ligue 1 club's coach Rudi Garcia told Canal+ that he would not be staying with them for next year, as the new coaching staff at Liverpool, the very slick Brendan Rodgers and the like, have decided they want to make use of Cole's ability.

In an interview with the French media company, reported thorugh Sky Sports, Garcia said that Lille would remember Cole fondly for a spell where he played 38 games and scored four goals as he helped the French club achieve a third place finish in Ligue 1 last term.

But unfortunately for the regretful Garcia, Cole's immediate future lies on Merseyside as he told Canal+ that he believes the 30 year old will remain as a Liverpool player.

Brendan Rodgers remembers Cole from his time as a coach at Chelsea and this weekend described him as a "wonderful talent" whilst announcing plans to sit down with Cole and other stray midfielder, Alberto Aquilani, to sort out their Liverpool futures.

Rodger's arrival and affection for Cole will come as a blow to West Ham who had been linked with a move to bring Cole back to where his career started, despite chairman David Gold rejecting the idea of such a transfer.

He has little chance of pulling it off anyway, according to Garcia, who believes Cole will be at Liverpool.

@AdamGray1250 

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