Lopes relishing Ligue 1 stint

Marcos Lopes said he is enjoying his time with Lille, who are reportedly interested in keeping the Portuguese loanee for another season.

Lopes joined Lille on loan from Premier League champions Manchester City for the entire 2014-15 season in an attempt to gain further first-team experience, after making just four appearances last term, and the 19-year-old has flourished in northern France.

The Brazilian-born attacking midfielder, who missed more than two months due to hamstring problems from November, has amassed 16 league appearances and scored the match-winning goal as Lille stunned Ligue 1 leaders Lyon 2-1 last week.

“I think for my first year as a professional player it’s a really good league,” Lopes told the Ligue 1 Show on BeIN Sports.

“I’m really enjoying to be here and to play in this league. There are a lot of competitive teams and it’s what I need right now. The important thing for me was to play and to develop as a player.”

Lopes, who is under contract at City until 2016, added: “Wherever I play I want to play in a professional league, because I think it’s the only way that I can improve.

“And I will work for that, either here or City or wherever, I just want to play football because that’s what I want to do, and I want to be in the top level of football, the highest level.”