Ligue 1 transfer verdict: frugal Le Mans, spendthrift Paris FC, and a whirlwind at Strasbourg | OneFootball

The Ligue 1 transfer window closed on Tuesday night, and the ledger is stark. According to L'Équipe, French clubs generated 1.33 billion euros in sales and a positive balance of 730 million euros, with sharp contrasts between teams.

The most prudent were Le Mans, spending 1 million euros for 11 arrivals, including forwards Louis Mafouta and Habib Diallo, the latter costing about 500,000 euros from Metz. Promoted two divisions in two seasons and now under investment fund control, the club kept its bearings. Le Havre again recruited on the cheap, buying only one of 14 arrivals and losing 17 players for little return.

Brest paid only for Mamady Diambou from Salzburg, for a fee said to be under 2 million euros. It mirrors the approach associated with former sporting director Grégory Lorenzi, who at Marseille oversaw a window with no signings.

At the opposite extreme, Strasbourg endured more than 50 moves, 23 departures and 29 arrivals, since Blue co arrived and a subsidiary-style link with Chelsea was pursued. Sporting continuity has been elusive. The club still posts a near 100 million euro surplus, helped by Diego Moreira’s 50 million euro move to AC Milan.

Only three clubs were net spenders in this window, Le Havre at -1.5 million euros, Auxerre at -7.85 million euros after late UK business, and especially Paris FC. The capital’s other side posted a net outlay of more than 70 million euros, running against the division’s grain. The splurge evokes PSG’s early QSI era, and PSG now combine record sales of 334 million euros with 152 million euros invested.

Monaco’s window skewed domestic, though a chaotic final evening saw near-complete exits for Folarin Balogun to Everton and Lamine Camara to Chelsea fall through. The biggest incoming outlay went on Matthis Abline from Nantes at 25 million euros before bonuses, alongside Mathys Detourbet from Troyes and Sadibou Sané from Metz. The only exception was Nazinho from Cercle Bruges, while Paris FC also shopped locally and sent 25 million euros to Reims for Patrick Zabi.

Source: L'Équipe

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