Yahoo Sports OGC Nice blame TV rights deal for low spending
It was a busy window at OGC Nice but not a high-spending one. Despite securing six signings over the course of the transfer window, Le Gym spent under €27m.
Youssoufa Moukoko, Jonathan Clauss, Tanguy Ndombele, Moïse Bombito, Ali Abdi, and Mohamed Abdelmonem all arrived at Nice, whilst big names such as Khéphren Thuram and Jean-Clair Todibo departed, both for large fees. They were two of 12 departures from Les Aiglons this summer as the club finished the window in the green.
Speaking at the presentations of Moukoko and Abdelmonem, sporting director Florian Maurice and president Jean-Pierre Rivère reviewed the transfer window. The former, who replaced Florent Ghisolfi in the role at the start of the summer, described Nice’s window as “satisfying”, adding that the recruits “responded to the needs of the club and of the manager (Franck Haise).”
However, it wasn’t a window without difficulties. As well as contending with INEOS’ reduced spending at the Ligue 1 club, in the wake of their purchase of Premier League giants Manchester United, and a new “virtuous cycle” strategy, there was also the TV rights fiasco. A broadcaster for the current cycle (2024-29) was found less than a month before the season, however, the LFP secured a heavily reduced fee, relative to the last cycle and relative to their ambitions.
Rivère admitted that this issue did have an effect on Nice’s window. “We had objectives in terms of selling and we managed that. That was good; the same thing for the arrivals. The TV rights issue hasn’t allowed us to spend as much as we would have wished,” said Le Gym’s president.
