1.33 billion
The number landed on Wednesday morning, once the windows had shut. 1.33 billion euros. That is what Ligue 1 clubs took in from sales during this summer transfer window.
The French top flight finished second in the selling-league table. Ahead of Spain, ahead of Italy, ahead of Germany. Behind the Premier League, naturally.
This is no longer a market blip. It is how French football survives.
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England comes shopping in France
More than 800 million euros. That is the Premier League’s share of the total, according to Transfermarkt data. Almost two thirds of what Ligue 1 sold this summer ended up across the Channel.
English clubs go hunting for young players, often before they have put together three full seasons. They pay, and they do not hang around haggling.
Behind the headline number sit some hefty deals. Ayyoub Bouaddi, Bradley Barcola, Goncalo Ramos, Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Mason Greenwood, Lee Kang-in, Jérémy Jacquet, Mamadou Sangare. Eight exits, eight serious cheques.
Sell, yes. And then what?
The model makes sense on paper. French TV money never got back to where it was before the Mediapro collapse, and clubs have filled the gap through transfer fees. Lyon proved the point this summer, forced to push its sales target to around 50 million euros after going out of Europe to Fenerbahce.
Then comes the problem. A league that cashes in on its best players every summer struggles to build teams that last, and struggles even more to make a mark in Europe across a full season.
1.33 billion is financial health. It is not a sporting project.
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