PAUL Lambert says Blackburn Rovers need to attract better players than Fode Koita – and expressed his surprise that the French forward has moved to Turkey after he was allegedly feeling ‘homesick’.

Koita this week completed a £243,000 switch to Turkish top-flight outfit Kasimpasa just six months after arriving at Ewood Park on a free transfer after his contract at Ligue 1 side Caen expired.

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The former France Under-21 international failed to score in 15 appearances for Rovers and struggled for fitness under both current boss Lambert and his predecessor Gary Bowyer.

And, when asked for his reaction to Koita’s departure, Lambert said: “Fode was a funny one.

“Being a foreign lad in a foreign country it is difficult sometimes to get up to speed with things even though his English was pretty decent.

“It’s funny because when agents get involved, and things like that, you tend to find out they are homesick.

“So I started to think he was going back to France, but he ended up going to Turkey.

“Whether Turkey is next to France on the map, I don’t know, but it must be pretty close.

“I found it strange but Fode obviously developed homesickness in that period of time.

“And, to be fair, and no disrespect to Fode, this club needs better all-round players.”

Koita and fellow Frenchman Sacha Petshi became then Rovers manager Bowyer’s first signings of the summer in July.

Midfielder Petshi, whose previous club, CA Bastia, played in the third tier of French football, has yet to make a first-team appearance at Ewood Park.

Rovers would be willing to let him leave before his contract expires in the summer.