Three weeks ! This is the time left for the Girondins de Bordeaux to strengthen themselves during this summer transfer window. It’s both long and short. The fans are getting more and more impatient. As of August 11, the club has yet to announce the arrival of a single signing. Two explanations for this situation: the uncertainty around the future of the Marine et Blanc for many weeks and then the decision of the DNCG to regulate the club’s payroll and transfer compensation on August 2.
A decision which today pushes the Girondins de Bordeaux to sell several players before being able to recruit. Problem, a week later, the club still has not finalized any departure. Fortunately, for the moment, this situation has no sporting consequences on the ground since David Guion’s players are making a good start to the championship with a draw against Valenciennes and a victory in Rodez before the reception of Niort this Saturday (7 p.m. ) at Matmut Atlantique on the occasion of the 3rd day of Ligue 2. But time is running out all the same.
Finally departures?
On the departure side, three files are particularly advanced. Those of Ui-jo Hwang, MBaye Niang and Junior Onana. The former is the most sought-after player in the squad with French (Nantes, Brest and Strasbourg) and English (Wolverhampton, Fulham and another Premier League club) interests. In France, the hottest track is Stade Brestois because the player is the priority of coach Michel Der Zakarian and the Bretons would be ready to increase their offer to 4 million euros (plus bonuses). For Nantes, it’s over! The agent of the Korean having been scalded by the internal management of the Canaries and its many intermediaries. For Strasbourg, we will have to wait to see if the Alsatian club separates from some of its attackers (Diallo and/or Ajorque) but Julien Stephan, the Racing coach, particularly appreciates the Bordeaux center forward.
– R.Perrocheau
Across the Channel, the English offers are up to what the club expects. That is to say 4-5 million euros plus bonuses. But Ui-jo Hwang, who wanted to join the Premier League at all costs a few days ago, wonders about the sports project of these clubs. At Wolverhampton he could only be the third choice in the attacking hierarchy and at Fulham the second. The Korean should make his choice over the weekend and the club hopes to finalize his departure early next week.
The Girondins de Bordeaux also have this hope for Mbaye Niang, even if for the moment the player has not responded to French (Auxerre), Russian or Turkish requests. On the other hand, discussions continue with the Swiss club of Sion while FC Nantes keep an eye on him. For Junior Onana, it is rather necessary to look on the side of Italy. Three clubs (AC Milan, Hellas Verona and Monza) are very interested to the point that some have already made offers. The hottest track leads to the Rossoneri. The latter want to make him a young player to develop over several years and Gérard Lopez, the president of the Girondins, knows the owners of the Milanese club well, which could facilitate the transaction. German club Wolsburg are also following the player. The Marine et Blanc hope to recover in the end 7 million euros and a percentage on resale.
Among the other players on the way out, there are of course the “lofters” who have been training apart from the pro group since the resumption. And everyone has their own situation. Mexer and Baysse have little to no supply. Kwateng is not very open to a departure and still hopes to rejoin the professional group at the start of the school year. Zerkane and Medioub are expected to leave on loan, possibly to Portugal for the former, by the end of the transfer window. Finally, Rémi Oudin is on stand-by. Internally, we want to help the French midfielder find a club because “he’s a good guy” and his dismissal would purely and simply be a sporting choice by David Guion. The club have set his price tag at €4m but are ready to lower it to make his departure easier.
The famous question of lower wages
To reduce its payroll and therefore be able to recruit, the club has also asked some of its players to lower their income by 20% in recent days. The “small salaries” were spared. Among the players of the professional workforce solicited (Fransergio, Ignatenko, Gregersen, Poussin, etc.), most would be ready to make this gesture. The club’s two unofficial recruits, Yoann Barbet and Vital Nsimba, would even be open to making an even greater effort by transforming this loss of salary into a bonus for promotion to Ligue 1 at the end of the season. On the other hand, no surprise, some members of the “loft” have already refused the club’s request. A request that made the UNFP, the union of professional footballers, jump at the start of the week.
Finally, according to our information, to recruit more freely this summer Gérard Lopez would have proposed during the last visit of the DNCG to cover the salaries of new recruits in cash so as not to be obliged to significantly reduce the club’s payroll before recruit. A request firmly rejected by the financial policeman of French football. By way of comparison, the Portuguese authorities accepted this proposal from the Spanish-Luxembourg businessman for his club Boavista a few days ago.
Barbet, Nsimba and Lössl still not qualified
This status quo at the level of the transfer window is in any case not without consequences. The club’s three unofficial recruits, Yoan Barbet, Vital Nsimba and Jonas Lössl will again be absent against Niort this Saturday (7 p.m.). The Girondins de Bordeaux still cannot approve their contract to date. A particularly heavy situation for the first two who have been training since the resumption with the pro group. The Danish goalkeeper, too, continues to wait for the moment. But until when ?
Facing the Chamois Niortais, David Guion will once again have to rely on an extremely young team. For the moment, it’s ok but beware the calendar will quickly get tougher in the coming weeks (Guingamp, Paris FC or Saint-Etienne) and without a recruit, the return to reality could be violent for the Girondins de Bordeaux and their supporters. .