Bordeaux boss has this message for Ligue 1-bound Josh Maja as he nears Sunderland exit
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Speaking to reporters, Eric Bedouet, Bordeaux manager, suggested the 20-year-old - who has scored 16 goals for Sunderland this season - would not walk straight into his side and described the French top flight as a "physically difficult championship".
Perhaps Bedouet was just trying to dampen down expectations and relieve some pressure from the shoulders of Maja ahead of the move, the striker was also described as a "young talent" by his new boss.
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Hide AdThe Black Cats - aiming to replace him with prolific Wigan Athletic striker Will Grigg - could have held onto Maja until the summer but then they would have only been due a vastly-reduced compensation fee, around £300,000, had he moved on a free.
In the end it was decided it was best all round to sell Maja this month after it was made clear the contract offer would not be signed.
Ahead of his move to Bordeaux, Bedouet told reporters: "We knew him a little bit, I think we do not have time to look too much, we are focused on the field, to prepare the team.
"But we have a sufficiently professional team, specialists who take care of that. We knew him a little.
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Hide Ad"His profile? We need a scorer, that’s what we need. Apparently, this season he scores goals.
"After, the game in France is different, there are plenty of things difficult to manage like that.
"It’s a young player, knowing that a young player does not have that quality right now, it gets ready, it improves, it is fine. But it’s a young talent."