Gbamin is now close to joining the Ligue 2 club who currently occupy one of the French second division’s relegation spots. The former Mainz midfielder was keen to return to France and move closer to his family who currently reside in Lille. The 28-year-old was close to joining CSKA Moscow in 2022 but no move ever materialised. 

The Ivorian midfielder will sign with Dunkerque on a contract until the end of the season. He spent last year on loan with Trabzonspor and made 20 appearances. Gbamin’s time at Everton was ravaged by injuries, with the midfielder missing a total of 99 games for club and country during his time on Merseyside. 

GFFN | Liam Wraith

 A former manager of Red Bull Salzburg, Olympiakos, and Celta Vigo, Garcia was sacked as Reims manager in October 2022 with the club sitting in 15th place. His assistant, Will Still, took the reins and guided the Champagne club to a historic unbeaten run, including two draws against French Champions Paris Saint-Germain. 

Garcia’s sacking also came in the context of the deteriorating illness of his daughter, who tragically passed away only a month following his departure. During his time as manager he made several visits to Catalonia to support and visit his daughter, after the latest of which he was informed he was going to be sacked as Reims manager after winning only one game at that stage of the 2022-2023 season.

GFFN | George Boxall

Monaco have been forced into the market to sign a left-back after Caio Henrique suffered an ACL injury that could potentially rule him out until the end of the campaign. Ismael Jakobs has replaced the Brazilian in Adi Hütter’s starting XI, however, he will be absent for several weeks when he represents Senegal at AFCON. 

LFP rules stipulate that French teams can make one ‘joker’ signing outside of the January and summer transfer windows in the event of losing a player to injury, as Monaco have. The replacement has to be bought from another French club. 

Monaco now look set to complete the signing of Ouattara, who according to L’Équipe, will join for around €2m. Foot Mercato add that the Franc U20 left-back will sign a four-and-a-half-year deal with the Principality club. Ouattara is already in Monaco ahead of the imminent move. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Ouattara’s move to AS Monaco is on the verge of completion. Having lost Caio Henrique to an ACL injury, which could rule him out until the end of the campaign, Monaco are short of options at left-back. Ismail Jakobs has since filled in and will likely be expected to do so for much of the remainder of the campaign, however, he will be absent for several weeks when he represents Senegal in the AFCON. 

Monaco are permitted to make one ‘joker’ transfer, having lost Henrique to injury. The rule stipulates that in the event of a considerable injury, French clubs can buy one player, on the condition that they are bought from another French club. Les Monégasques now look set to sign France U20 left-back Ouattara. He is already in the Principality ahead of the move. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Monaco have lacked depth at left-back since Caio Henrique suffered a potentially season-ending ACL injury earlier in the season. At the time of the injury, Adi Hütter said that the club weren’t necessarily looking to go into the market for a replacement, seeking to highlight Ismail Jakobs’ ability to compensate for the absence of the injured Brazilian. 

The option of a ‘joker’ transfer, which allows a French team to buy one player from another French team outside of the transfer window periods, therefore looked unlikely to be explored. However, Foot Mercato are now reporting that Monaco are in advanced discussions to sign Amiens’ France U20 international Ouattara. The left-back would also help compensate for Jakobs’ own absence. He is set to feature for Senegal in this winter’s AFCON. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Okou has only made one senior appearance for the Principality club. The centre-back was on the fringes of the squad last season, often making the matchday squad, however, that has not been the case this season. Okou is yet to be included in a matchday squad this season and has featured solely with the club’s Groupe Élite.

Speaking last week, Monaco manager Adi Hütter confirmed that Okou was nearing a departure, “I hope we find a good deal with Yllan Okou because he’s a good player, and if it becomes official, I will be happy for both sides. On one side, the club get a good player, and on the other, the player gets to play. It’s important for Okou and for us,” said Hütter in a press conference, attended by Get French Football News.

Okou announced his departure from Monaco on social media on Sunday before the two clubs confirmed the deal on Monday. The French centre-back joins the Corsican side on a ‘joker’ transfer. Monaco will receive a small fee, as well as a sell-on percentage. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle 

After nine matches, Lyon are bottom of Ligue 1. Fabio Grosso’s men are still winless after their latest defeat to Clermont Foot, who went into matchday nine bottom of the table. Les Gones have just three points and are already five points adrift of FC Metz, who currently occupy the relegation playoff spot. 

The club have already changed manager this season with Grosso replacing Laurent Blanc, however, there has not been a new-manager bounce and results have not improved. Despite the worrying signs at Lyon, Textor has said that he is not worried about a potential relegation and has described the conversation around the topic as fear-mongering. 

“There is a lot of negativity around this club. It comes from politicians locally, it comes from former management, it comes from bureaucrats. It’s not coming from the fans […] we’re obviously very disappointed,” began Textor, who only purchased the club back in 2022. 

Asked by a journalist whether a relegation to Ligue 2 was a possibility, Textor responded, “I know you have to ask the question, but it’s a comical question. This team is not at risk of relegation. Teams that get relegated in any country, in any league do not play like we played tonight. You don’t see that kind of quality in teams that go down. We don’t look down the table, we look up the table.”

The American owner continued, “We risk having a very mediocre season. That bothers the hell out of us. But whoever is talking about relegation is just stoking fear and creating stories. It’s good fodder for conversation, but it’s a bit of a joke. I don’t take it seriously […] it’s nonsense. I’m not [worried about relegation]. That team is too good. Teams that play that well don’t go down. Nobody in that dressing room is worried, our staff aren’t worried, I’m not worried. Anyone that really pays attention to this game, they aren’t worried. It’s just talk.” 

Textor’s ownership of Lyon has been mired by issues on and off the pitch. Les Gones’ summer transfer window was disrupted by France’s financial watchdog, the DNCG, due to the financial issues at the club. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Okou has only made one senior appearance for the Principality club. The centre-back was on the fringes of the squad last season, often making the matchday squad, however, that has not been the case this season. Okou is yet to be included in a matchday squad this season and has featured solely with the club’s Groupe Élite. 

Hütter, speaking ahead of Monaco’s match against FC Metz, has now provided clarity on Okou’s future, seeming to confirm an imminent departure, without going so far as to confirm Bastia as his eventual destination.

“I’ve said before that we have a big squad. I don’t like to train with 27/28 players when we’re only competing in domestic competitions. If you’re in Europe, you need a bigger squad. I hope we find a good deal with Yllan Okou because he’s a good player, and if it becomes official, I will be happy for both sides. On one side, the club get a good player, and on the other, the player gets to play. It’s important for Okou and for us,” said Hütter in a press conference, attended by Get French Football News.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

The two Swedish supporters were killed in the lead-up to Sweden’s UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier against Belgium earlier this week. The match was initially suspended at half-time, and then ultimately abandoned. For their safety, fans were kept in the stadium for over two hours after the game, with the gunman, who was later killed, still at large at the time. 

In a press release, the LFP have confirmed that all Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches this weekend will observe a one-minute silence. Le Havre AC face RC Lens at the Stade Océane on Friday night in the first match of Round nine, whilst Olympique Lyonnais and Clermont Foot conclude the action on Sunday night. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Okou has made just one appearance for the first team, in the Coupe de France against QRM back in January 2022. The Frenchman was on the fringes of the first team for much of last season and was included in many matchday squads, despite not featuring at all in Ligue 1. However, he now seems to have fallen down the pecking order, behind Ritchy Valmé, who won the Coupe Gambardella with Les Monégasques last season. 

Whilst the transfer window is currently closed, French clubs can still make a ‘joker’ transfer. According to Corse-Matin, Bastia have made an offer for Okou, after having shown an interest earlier in the season. The Principality club were unwilling to sanction the move at the time. However, Okou is now nearing a move to the Corsican club. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Photo credit: Luke Entwistle