Joe Cole has joined French champions Lille on a season-long loan.
The Liverpool midfielder has been linked with a move to Ligue 1 in the past few days but Sky Sports News reported this morning that he was also in talks with Aston Villa.
The former Chelsea player had also been mooted for a move to Tottenham Hotspur or QPR, but it is thought that the opportunity of Champions League football gave Lille the edge.
Cole made 32 appearances for the Reds last season, mostly from the bench, scoring two goals.
