French football opens its doors to the transfer market from June 8, but only for transactions between French clubs. The Professional Football League (LFP) adopted the measure on Friday during its board of directors and formalized it in a press release. "A forthcoming Board of Directors will set the opening of the international period and the final closing of the market with regard to the decisions of Fifa and the discussions in progress with the other European leagues", indicates the authority. Just a few days before it opens, here is what you need to remember about this exceptional transfer window.
Is it regulatory?
The principle of this domestic market should not be a problem, according to Thierry Granturco, a lawyer specializing in sports law. "It's completely legal. Legally, FIFA is only competent for international transfers, and UEFA has no say, says the council. Leagues therefore have the possibility of opening purely national transfer windows outside the international period, even if this is not generally done. "
What is the problem ?
Next June 30, clubs must present the closure of their accounts to the DNCG, the financial gendarme of French football. This control body is almost unique in major European championships. France is therefore in a double exception: its championship will not resume unlike the others and the clubs must present the most "clean" results possible while the health crisis has passed there.
Of the capital gains budgeted by all of L 1 and L 2 for the 2019-2020 season, there are currently 210 million euros of sales missing (inside the territory and internationally ). It is therefore in part to make up for this shortfall that the clubs wished to establish this solely French-French market.
“We can think that by opening the Franco-French market, it will be possible to make some transactions, answers Bernard Caïazzo, the co-president of Saint-Etienne and the leader of Premier League, the union of elite teams. We will not wait for the amounts provided, but we can imagine a few tens of millions. And as there are beneficiary French clubs thanks to the winter transfer window, it is to be hoped that clubs can find common solutions. "
"The LFP will allow a certain number of disbursements and collections, offer the possibility to clubs to get rid of players and therefore to obtain transfer revenues prematurely, either for the future international market or to simply complete the end of the month, adds Granturco. The loan guaranteed by the State subscribed by the LFP (Editor's note: 224.5 million euros) does not make up for the lack of revenue which would have had to be collected by the clubs if we had gone to the end of the season. "
We do not yet know the amount of capital gains that French clubs hope for the 2020-2021 season. But due to a sluggish market, they will not be successful next season either. Even if it is disputed normally, the next exercise will still be in deficit and the clubs are trying to protect themselves today.
Is it really useful?
The subject divides. Bastien Drut, sports economist, remains cautious. “Each season, the French clubs balance their accounts by selling their players to foreign teams, first English, then German, Spanish and Italian. So I don't see how this Franco-French transfer window will save French football. I don't understand the idea. To present own accounts, you have to sell abroad, so where is the interest? This measure may only serve the L 2 which sells a lot to the L 1 but if the L 1 does not have full pockets, it will not go very far. The impact seems very limited to me. "
Despite the economic crisis that is hitting them, some clubs will manage to finish the 2019-2020 beneficiary season, either because they are well managed, or because state aid, such as the loan contracted by the League, theirs. allow. At a certain level of profits, they have to pay corporate taxes and some stables prefer to spend that money than pay taxes. It's legal.
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Another equally legal interest: two clubs can buy each other a player for the same amount. No euro is exchanged between the two clubs but, on the accounts, each registers an additional line of products. This process is often used by major European clubs to circumvent the rules of financial fair play introduced by UEFA.