Following their recent acquisition of Olivier Giroud (38) from Los Angeles FC, Lille OSC is reportedly turning its attention back to the American market in their quest for a new left-back. According to Foot Mercato, the French club has expressed significant interest in Philadelphia Union`s Kai Wagner (28) and has initiated discussions regarding a potential transfer.
Wagner began his professional football career in his native Germany in 2015. He subsequently played for FC Schalke II in 2016 and FC Würzburger Kickers in 2017 before making the significant move to Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2019, where he joined Philadelphia Union.
His tenure in the US has been remarkably successful, marked by 239 appearances for Philadelphia Union, where he contributed significantly with 9 goals and an impressive 52 assists. Wagner`s consistent high-level performance earned him three selections to the prestigious MLS All-Star team in 2021, 2022, and most recently, 2025.
Lille`s urgent need for a new left-back stems from the comprehensive departure of their entire three-player rotation from last season: Mitchel Bakker, Ismaily, and Gabriel Gudmundsson. The club was also recently rumored to be pursuing Romain Perraud (27), a fullback currently playing for Real Betis, highlighting their active search to reinforce the position.
