players playing in Ukraine and Russia will be able to join France

The Professional Football League (LFP) decided on Thursday March 17 to authorize players playing in Ukraine and their foreign counterparts playing in Russia to join French clubs on an exceptional basis, in the face of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

The LFP is thus following the measures taken in recent days by Fifa, which had opened until April 7 an exceptional transfer period dedicated to foreign players playing in Russia as well as players playing in Ukraine – foreigners, or Ukrainians authorized to leave the territory. In theory, the winter transfer period has been closed since January 31 in France and no movement was possible before the summer transfer window.

The decision, which must still be ratified by the executive committee of the Federation (FFF), nevertheless includes a limit of one player recruited per French club. Cameroonian Didier Lamkel Zé, on trial all this week in Metz after leaving his Russian club Khimki (D1), could thus, for example, take advantage of this exemption to engage in Moselle.

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️‍♂️ Didier Lamkel Zé present at Frescaty this week.

The 25-year-old striker will train with the professional squad from today until further notice

— FC Metz ☨ (@FCMetz) March 16, 2022

According to the provisions of Fifa, players playing in Russia, banned from world sport and deprived of international competitions, have “the right to unilaterally suspend their employment contract” until June 30, 2022. As for the Ukrainians, they will have to be “authorized” from “in accordance with current rules on cross-border movement of Ukrainian nationals”while general mobilization has been declared in the country, imposing a priori on all men aged 18 to 60 to stay in Ukraine.