Since leaving Olympiacos on a free transfer in the summer, M’Vila has made his intentions clear. The financial aspect of his next move is not of interest, he simply wants to find the right project for him. Recently, M’Vila has stepped up his media duties in order to put himself back on the market. 

M’Vila unwilling to drop down the divisions, but with one exception

In an appearance on Prime Video Sport, M’Vila said that he believes that his qualities are “compatible” with Lyon and Marseille, adding that he would be open to a move to either club. 

However, M’Vila wouldn’t be open to dropping down to Ligue 2, or any other lower division, with one exception. “I don’t need the money, I just want to play, but not in Ligue 2, or in lower divisions, apart from Sunderland, in order to help them get back to the Premier League. I had an extraordinary year there,” he told Le Progrès. 

The former France international played 40 times for the Black Cats during his only season at the club, however, he is seemingly willing to sacrifice wages in order to make a return.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Cardona has played just 13 games for Augsburg, scoring just once. This season, he has made just three substitute appearances, accumulating a meagre 51 minutes of football. Understandably, Cardona, who scored 19 goals for Brest in 106 appearances, is looking for a new challenge. 

He is now set for a move to Ligue 2 side AS Saint-Étienne. According to Foot Mercato journalist Sébastien Denis, negotiations to bring the former France U20 forward to the club are advanced. The signing would represent a significant coup for the club, who have designs on a promotion back to Ligue 1 this season. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Kantari had been in the role as an interim appointment since early December after the club fired his predecessor Jorge Maciel and his coaching staff after recording only one victory in the league since the start of the campaign. 

The club find themselves in a dire situation and they remain eight points adrift of safety with half of their league fixtures played. 

Results have hardly improved since Maciel departed and Kantari is yet to find the team’s second win in the league. Two losses and a victory in the Coupe de France over a team three divisions below them have not been a great start for the new manager. 

It looks highly likely that VAFC will be relegated at the end of the season with four clubs being demoted into the Championnat National this year and results yet to improve for the struggling team. 

GFFN | Nick Hartland

The goalkeeper was included in the preliminary squad for Mali but according to Sports News Africa will not join up with his national side when they compete in the upcoming tournament. 

Samassa has excelled at the Ligue 2 side since arriving in the summer as a free agent, and will reportedly reject his international duties in favour of remaining with Laval while the competition takes place. 

In a quotation provided by France Bleu, the president of Laval, Laurent Lairy, referred to a ‘moral agreement’ that the goalkeeper made when he joined the club, where it is alleged that Samassa assured the club during negotiations that he would refuse to compete in the tournament. 

What could be described as a creative solution to a lengthy absence for Samassa will likely not work as intended. Refusing an international call-up without the agreement of the national federation could lead to a ban and a sanction imposed on the player as it contravenes FIFA regulations. 

GFFN | Nick Hartland 

Mandanda, the little brother of French international Steve Mandanda (38), had trained at Caen as a goalkeeper from 2002 until 2007 but never progressed into the first team, and left to find options elsewhere. 

Most notably Mandanda found success in the Belgium league as the goalkeeper for Royal Charleroi between 2011 and 2020, and like his older brother became an international as he represented the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 

Last summer Mandanda returned to Caen to train with the team and was afforded opportunities this season with the reserves after the injury to third-choice goalkeeper, Destiné Jopanguy (20). 

This injury coupled with the absence of first-choice Anthony Mandréa (27), due to the Africa Cup of Nations, led to Caen offering Mandanda his first professional contract with the club on Wednesday. 

Mandanda will provide support for Yannis Clementia (26) for the foreseeable future and may well end up earning his first appearance for his boyhood club sixteen years after leaving its academy. 

GFFN | Nick Hartland

The Brazilian winger signed a five-year deal with Les Aubistes back in 2022 but was immediately loaned out to PSV Eindhoven, where he made eight first-team appearances, registering two assists. This season, he has been loaned out to another City Football Group (CFG) club, Girona, who are flying high in La Liga. The club are second, with Sávio scoring five goals and registering five assists. 

READ: SÁVIO – ESTAC TROYES’ RECORD TRANSFER WHO THEY WILL NEVER SEE

According to Fabrizio Romano, those performances have been enough to convince Manchester City to bring the Brazilian youth international to the Etihad Stadium. Internal discussions are currently taking place to sign Sávio for next season. Other Premier League clubs, as well as Bundesliga clubs, are waiting with €30m proposals. 

Regardless, Sávio will complete the current season with Girona. It now looks unlikely, as expected, that Sávio will ever play for Troyes. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Maurer broke onto the scene towards the end of last season, starting six games and making four substitute appearances as Pascal Gastien’s side finished the season in style. However, collectively, those performances have not been replicated this season. Clermont are instead bottom of Ligue 1, and in such circumstances, the development of youth players is not always prioritised. 

Maurer seems to be a victim of this context. He has made only five substitute appearances all season, two of which have come in added time. As a result, the attacking midfielder is set for a spell away from Clermont. According to Foot Mercato, a loan switch to Ligue 2 side Dunkerque is imminent. Dunkerque are currently embroiled in their own relegation battle. The move will not include an option to make the move permanent. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Following LAFC’s 2-1 MLS Cup final defeat to Colombus Crew, Denis Bouanga is expected to leave the Californian club and is favouring a return to Ligue 1. This makes Nice a prime candidate to secure the services of the Gabonese forward as he has his sights set on a return to Ligue 1. 

Back in Ligue 1 

Bouanga left France in the summer of 2022 following the relegation of Saint Étienne to Ligue 2. The Gabon international signed for the MLS club Los Angeles FC for €4.55m in 2022. During his time in the US, the 29-year-old made 58 appearances scoring 41 goals and assisting a further 15. 

GFFN | Liam Wraith

This announcement comes following reports on Sunday that the former Montpellier manager looked set to be offered the role on a six-month basis, but with an option to extend the contract if he were to secure promotion. 

Dall’Oglio appeared to be the favourite choice to replace the departed Laurent Batlles, and was the first option to be explored by the club. 

The new manager will join the team in eighth place in the league and will need to attend to the immediate task of turning around their current form which has seen Les Verts lose their last eight fixtures in Ligue 2. 

In the official statement, Dall’Oglio spoke about the upcoming challenge: ‘We’re going to have to go quickly, but I’m very confident. I’m going pass on my determination to the whole group. We’re going to have to be rigorous, vigilant, and have the necessary concentration. It is these aspects that I will focus on initially.’ 

This was added to by the sporting director Loïc Perrin: ‘Olivier is the first coach we met. Contact with him was immediately good. I am very happy that he is joining us with the ambition to restore confidence to the group. He has the experience and the necessary perspective to carry out this mission.’ 

Dall’Oglio’s first game in the dugout will be the away visit to FC Girondins de Bordeaux on Saturday who will be similarly desperate to secure a victory as they currently sit in the relegation zone.

GFFN | Nick Hartland

L’Alsace reported that the game was stopped after only eight minutes of play when the police allegedly attempted to arrest a Mulhouse supporter in possession of a pyrotechnic device.

Fights between the police and the ultras groups broke out as they attempted to arrest this individual, to which the police responded by using tear gas. 

The gas then quickly spread to the surrounding sections of the stadium leading to a partial evacuation of the ground, with some people needing treatment from the emergency services present at the Stade de L’Ill due to the teargas, while a police officer suffered minor injuries to the face. 

This led to a delay of twenty minutes before the game between the side from the Championnat National 3 and their Ligue 2 visitors could be resumed. 

Valenciennes’ struggles in Ligue 2 looked to continue as they needed penalties to progress to the next round against an opposition three divisions below them after the game finished 1-1. 

GFFN | Nick Hartland