Pires urges Debuchy to move

Robert Pires has urged Lille full-back Mathieu Debuchy to move to England following reported interest from Newcastle United.

The 26-year-old right-back impressed for France during their Euro 2012 campaign and has been tracked by Alan Pardew's scouting team for some time, with a reported £4 million bid turned away already in the summer transfer window. But Pires, who moved to Premier League side Arsenal in 2000 from Marseille, wants to see Debuchy playing in England and is encouraging him to take the step. "He has a game which really suits the Premier League with his speed. He also has such an attacking game, but is very aggressive in defence", he told Le 10 Sport. "If I have any advice to give him, it would be to try his luck in England." Newcastle already have a number of highly-rated Frenchmen among their ranks and Pires believes this should make the club even more suitable for the defender. "It does not really surprise me that English clubs are interested in him. "Newcastle would be a very good club for him because he would find his friends (Yohan) Cabaye and Hatem Ben Arfa."