RC Strasbourg achieved the Ligue 2 title this season with only the league’s 11th best defence.
The central defensive partnership of Kader Mangane (34) and Felipe Saad (33) is stale and the club is looking to revolutionise this sector of the team in order to prepare for Ligue 1.
The latter, Brazilian defender’s contract expires next month and he has been offered a staff position. Mangane’s deal also end in a few weeks time and Strasbourg have yet to decide whether or not to offer the player a new contract.
In this sector, Racing already have Ernest Seka (29) and Yoann Salmier (24), but they are looking to sign at least another two centre-backs of Ligue 1 standard, according to L’Équipe.
Strasbourg have cast their eye on SC Bastia defender Alexander Djiku. The 22-year-old is under contract with the Corsicans until 2019, and a deal for him will be complicated because of interest from several English clubs.
Reims defender Julian Jeanvier has also been approached.
In terms of full-backs, on the left-side, 23-year-old Abdallah N’Dour is seen as a good prospect, but he will not be back until September earliest, currently suffering from a right leg injury. On the contrary, Laurent Dos Santos (24) has been told he can leave the club this summer.
In terms of right-backs, Strasbourg have placed Sochaux’s Mickaël Alphonse (27) and Mathieu Deplagne of Montpellier (25) on their shortlist.
A new goalkeeper is also on their list of priorities as they intend to rid of Landry Bonnefoi. Paul Nardi (AS Monaco) and Zachary Boucher (Auxerre) are amongst their targets.
