Paris (AFP)

The transfer window begins Monday between French teams, turned towards the start of the next Ligue 1 season, hoped for at the end of August, with hot files like that of Mbaye Niang. But the economic context turned upside down by the coronavirus announces a summer marked by sales.

The anticipated opening of the transfer market, announced Friday by the League (LFP), offers clubs the possibility of starting to reshape their workforce with a view to resuming training.

The timing is well chosen, too, for executives, who can earn income with sales, before the accounts are closed on June 30, even if the interior space is not the most profitable for them.

Between 2016 and 2019, just over a third (36%) of L1 club transactions concerned only France, according to the latest reports from the DNCG. This represented only 17% of the sums involved.

Many teams are thus awaiting the opening of the European transfer window that UEFA must decide, like Lille with Victor Osimhem, especially since their financial difficulties may force them to sell.

- Paris SG settled the Icardi case -

Paris SG has already settled one of its most important files, by exercising the purchase option of its Argentine striker Mauro Icardi, for less than 60 M EUR according to the press.

If it constitutes the first major movement in Europe, this transfer is not the promise of an expensive summer for the champion of France, who estimates at more than 200 M EUR the losses caused by the Covid-19.

If not for Kylian Mbappé (180 M EUR in Monaco in 2017), he invests very little in the French market. In recent seasons, his "French" recruits are those from his training center. Today, the club is negotiating with young Adil Aouchiche and Tanguy Kouassi with a view to their first professional contract.

- Marseille and Rennes, C1 and Niang -

Marseille and Rennes, called to compete in the Champions League next season, oppose the Mbaye Niang case. The interest is mutual between OM and the Senegalese striker, but the latter is under contract with the Breton club which does not intend to sell it off.

The Phocaeans are currently more active behind the scenes, looking for a football director and another for business, after the ouster of Andoni Zubizarreta. On the land side, under the threat of financial fair play, they want to sell for EUR 60 million, according to L'Equipe. Morgan Sanson, Boubacar Kamara and Duje Caleta-Car are among the most likely candidates for departure.

In Brittany, the promising Eduardo Camavinga, courted by Real Madrid according to the press, could become this summer the biggest sale in the history of the club. In the sense of arrivals, the new sports director Florian Maurice would be interested in the striker Denis Bouanga (Saint-Etienne).

- Aouar and Dembélé outside of Lyon? -

Lyon, which may not compete in the European Cup next season, is preparing to see two of its most valued assets leave: the young Houssem Aouar and Moussa Dembélé, who are of interest to Italy and England.

The case of Memphis Depay, to whom there remains a year of contract, remains pending, but the president of OL Jean-Michel Aulas has announced that he wishes to continue the adventure with the Dutch star.

The team trained by Rudi Garcia anticipated the summer transfer window with the signatures, last winter, of striker Tino Kadewere (Le Havre / L2) and especially of Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes. The Gones, who agitated the French market last year with Jeff Reine-Adélaïde and Thiago Mendes, also exercised the option to buy their center forward Karl Toko Ekambi. A central defender could follow.

- Lille turned abroad, degreasing in Monaco -

Rather than the French market, Lille remains oriented abroad, where the best offers could come from for Victor Osimhen, Boubakary Soumaré and Gabriel, whose cumulative sales could theoretically bring in between 100 and 150 M EUR to the Mastiffs.

Monaco, for its part, is looking to cut down on a plethora of staff. Kamil Glik, Jemerson and Djibril Sidibé are among the candidates for the start, but they would rather be interested outside the borders of the L1.

Saint-Etienne has already started its market in France, attracting striker from Epinal (N2) Jean-Philippe Krasso. The situation of the historical Stéphane Ruffier and Loïc Perrin remains to be clarified. Elsewhere, Angers would be close to a big blow with goalkeeper Paul Bernardoni (Bordeaux).

ah-cor-cb-fcc / bde

© 2020 AFP