Demba Ba outlines prudent Le Havre rebuild as Blue Crow funding lifts DNCG limits | OneFootball

Demba Ba outlined a cautious rebuild for Le Havre on Friday, despite stronger Blue Crow backing. As reported by L'Équipe, it was his first address since 19 June, when he replaced Mathieu Bodmer, at the rebranded CMA CGM Océane. The 41-year-old even forgot his two-year deal, corrected by president Jean-Michel Roussier.

Freed from DNCG restraints thanks to Blue Crow’s guarantees, Ba will steer an unrestricted window. He arrives with Quentin Rauzier and recruitment chief Romain Decool, his Dunkerque ally. Roussier said there will be no extravagance, sales underpin the model, and a target like Ugo Raghouber is likely out of reach.

Backroom tweaks are coming, a month after assistant Bryan Bergougnoux’s death, while Didier Digard’s extension offers stability. On the pitch a reset is needed after what Roussier called the end of a cycle. Le Havre confirmed on Thursday the departures of Sofiane Boufal and Étienne Youté, following Arouna Sangante to Sevilla and Issa Soumaré to Rennes.

Those four were among several whose contracts expired at the end of June, making them free from Tuesday. Loïc Nego and Ally Samatta triggered one-year extensions via appearance clauses. On Gautier Lloris, Abdoulaye Touré and Yassine Kechta, Ba gave only a political line that agents are being contacted, and a return for the restart looks unlikely, with medicals on Wednesday.

On signings, Ba limited himself to hoping. Reinforcements are needed at centre back, with only Ayumu Seko and 17-year-old Stephan Zagadou under contract, the latter after a cruciate rupture, while Seko has just left the World Cup. Roussier urged patience at the start of July, around seven weeks before Ligue 1 begins, and called for smart ideas to keep HAC up.

Source: L'Équipe