In the end, we did not have to wait until 11:59 p.m. on Monday evening to know the epilogue of the Stade de Reims transfer window. If on the arrivals side, things seemed to have been heard for several days, on the departures side, the rumors of a record transfer of the Reims striker Hugo Ekiike to English club Newcastle gradually deflated throughout the day on Monday. Until the press release from the Reims club which definitively closed the soap opera at the start of the evening. “It is true that we received very good offers for Hugo during this transfer window” underlined the president of the Stade de Reims, Jean-Pierre Caillot. “Our desire has always been to keep him for at least a full season. He too was keen not to cut corners, wanting to be a little more lasting in the club project, that of his training club which he joined in the age of 11. We share the feeling that there is still a piece of history to write together. We are happy to be able to count on him from Sunday against Bordeaux.” The craziest and often unverified sums circulated. And in the end, nothing happened. Hugo Ekitiké will end the season well with the Stade de Reims. The leaders of Reims keep the idea of posting a price of 40 million euros to sell their top scorer, even if the end of the season of the player and his performances will certainly set the price
Maxime Busi and Jens Cadresse as reinforcements
The Stade de Reims will therefore have managed its winter market well by strengthening itself. With the arrivals of Maxime Busi and Jens Cajust. The first, a 22-year-old defender, arrives from Parma. A 6-month loan with a mandatory purchase option if Stade de Reims remains in Ligue 1. Arrived in Reims on January 2, he has already taken part in the various matches played by the Rémois since then and has shown great qualities, confirm in a more prosperous period. Swedish midfielder Jens Cadjus, also 22, was one of the notable transfers of this transfer window. He comes from Danish club FC Midtjylland. A record transfer for the Reims club which is around 10 million euros, bonus included. He too has already appeared in the Reims tunic and expressed his qualities. He is not yet 100% physically but should bring much more volume to the Stade de Reims over the matches.
Four new development loans
On the departure side, the leaders of Reims have above all continued their strategy of development loans, which consists of lending a few months in clubs, young players in the making so that they become hardened and accumulate playing time. Hugo Ekitiké to gain a little more volume in Denmark last season before flourishing in Ligue 1 this season. eight players (Kaj Sierhuis, Timoté Nkada, Dario Maresic, Rafik Guitane, Thibault De Smet, Dialy NDiaye, Dereck Kutesa and Moïse Sakava) thus temporarily left the Stade de Reims last summer for one season. Four others were loaned in the same way during this January transfer window. N’dri Koffi and Noah Cervantes took the direction of Portugal, joining the Paços de Ferreira. Moustapha Mbow was loaned from Nîmes Olympique in Ligue 2 and Fode Doucoure, left to join the Red Star club in National. They will all be back at the end of the season. Another departure, closed this time, that of Mathieu Cafaro which was sold to the Standard de Liège club in Belgium.
Ghislain Konan can still leave…
If the French transfer window is therefore well finished, remains the case of Ghislain Konan. The latter, under contract until the end of the season, can leave free next June, without the Reims club being able to claim transfer compensation. A window has opened to sell it to the Turkish club Fenerbache, whose transfer window will close on February 8. This departure would allow the club to monetize the last 5 months of his contract and not see him go free. But the club also needs its player, indisputable on the left flank since the start of the season, and who will be invaluable in achieving the goals set in the league. We will have to wait another week to find out if Ghislain Konan will finish the season at the Stade de Reims, or not…