AS Monaco and FC Nantes are reported to have reached a full agreement on the transfer of Matthis Abline (23) to the club on The Rock, according to information from Foot Mercato.
Eager to join ASM, the striker is set to sign a four-year contract as part of a deal estimated at €30m – €25m plus €5m in bonuses. This represents a colossal sum for Les Canaris, who are set to finalise the biggest sale in their history.
Having already been close to leaving Brittany a year ago, Abline is now set to finally make his move, following a season in which he scored eight goals and provided seven **** ists in 34 appearances, despite Nantes' relegation to Ligue 2.
At Monaco, the Angers-born player will need to quickly prove himself up to the task, as he is set to replace Folarin Balogun (25) – who enjoyed a standout World Cup and is expected to leave the club this summer – at the forefront of the Monegasque attack.
GFFN | Léo Aschi

#nantes #abline #year #foot

Despite relegation to Ligue 2, FC Nantes continue to hold out for a big bid for Matthis Abline (23). As per a report from L'Équipe Les Canaris have rejected another offer for the France youth international.
Last summer, Nantes valued Abline between €40-50m. Despite interest from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Paris FC, notably, that valuation was not met and so he consequently remained at the Beaujoire. The Frenchman had a middling season, however (34 games, eight goals) as Nantes were relegated from Ligue 1.
His future is once again a hot topic. He has already been the subject of a bid from AS Monaco worth €20m. The Principality club remain in contact with their counterparts at Nantes. They face strong competition from Paris FC, who have retained their long-term interest and submitted a €23m bid, as per L'Équipe. It is an offer that has once again been rejected.
However, there is a sign that Nantes are budging on their valuation. The Loire-based club expected a minimum of €30m, down from the €40m touted last summer and cited as recently as last month.
GFFN | Luke Entwistle

West Ham United are interested in recruiting the services of Stoke City winger Sorba Thomas, according to the Daily Mail. West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo wants quality additions at the London Stadium and the 27-year-old Wales international has emerged as a concrete target. The Hammers are in talks over a deal but nothing is advanced at the moment. Thomas bagged ten goals and 11 ****** ists in 45 Championship last term and West Ham could do with his services in attack as they prepare for life without Crysencio Summerville.
The England-born attacker started his youth career with the Hammers before leaving their academy at 16. A return could appeal to him as it would give him a chance to play in the Premier League after years in the Championship. Thomas spent six seasons in the National League with Boreham Wood after leaving West Ham, playing four seasons as a professional. The West Ham target has spent five of the last six seasons in the Championship, playing in Ligue 1 with Nantes in 2024-25.
Thomas can play on both wings and even featured at right-back at times last term. Nuno needs his versatility and quality, with his crossing and passing some of his skills which could come in handy.

Former Chelsea and RC Strasbourg Alsace manager Liam Rosenior has held talks with Paris FC, with the Ligue 1 club’s current manager Antoine Kombouaré set to exit, as per a report from RMC Sport.
As reported by Le Parisien on Wednesday, Kombouaré is likely to leave Paris FC. The former Paris Saint-Germain and FC Nantes manager arrived at the end of February and steadied the ship. When he replaced Stéphane Gilli on the touchline, Paris FC were in a relegation battle; Les Parisiens would ultimately finish in 11th and 12 points above the relegation play-off spot.
He isn’t expected to remain at the Stade Jean Bouin, and as the club prepares to return for pre-season training, preparations to nominate a successor are underway, RMC Sport understands. Whilst L’Équipe reported earlier this month that Rosenior was looking to take time out following his departure from Chelsea in the spring, RMC Sport understands that he has held talks with Paris FC.
GFFN | Luke Entwistle

Speaking ahead of the return for pre-season, FC Nantes CEO and son of owner Waldemar Kita, Franck, had addressed Les Canaris’ catastrophic 2025/26 campaign, which ended with relegation to Ligue 2.
“When we win, it’s thanks to everyone; when we lose, I take full responsibility. I am the boss, I am the owner of the club, I am the one to blame, first and foremost. I am the only one to blame. I take full responsibility for us coming off the road, this relegation, which I ****** ume entirely,” he began.
His comments were the first made since the club’s relegation to Ligue 2. As is often the case, there was no post-season review with the media. Nantes’ final game of the season, meanwhile, was abandoned in the first half after angry fans stormed the pitch.
Kita was also there to present Nantes’ new manager, Michel Der Zakarian. The club burned through three managers last season, ending the campaign with Vahid Halilhodzic at the helm. Kita said that the degree of change last summer played a big part in the club’s failure.
“It’s true that I like it when there is a bit of stability and the fact that we radically changed things: new players, new coaches, disturbed people’s reference points. We didn’t put anyone in good conditions, in the right context and so, for me, that is why we were relegated.”

As reported by Le Parisien on Wednesday, Antoine Kombouaré is likely to leave Paris FC. The former Paris Saint-Germain and FC Nantes manager arrived at the end of February and steadied the ship. When he replaced Stéphane Gilli on the touchline, Paris FC were in a relegation battle; Les Parisiens would ultimately finish in 11th and 12 points above the relegation play-off spot.
However, the Kanak is not expected to remain in his role. Kombouaré will likely leave. A shortlist to find his replacement has been drawn up. Le Parisien understands that former Chelsea and RC Strasbourg Alsace manager Liam Rosenior features very highly on that list.
Rosenior, L’Équipe understands, was also in contention for the job at OGC Nice, since taken by Olivier Pantaloni. However, it was thought that he would prefer to take a break, following his short stint in charge at Stamford Bridge.
Habib Beye, still in his post at Olympique de Marseille, but expected to be replaced by Bruno Genesio, is also on the shortlist, although, internally, there are some doubts. Walid Regragui, who led Morocco to the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup in 2026, is not in contention, Le Parisien understands.
GFFN | Luke Entwistle

International friendly, 04/06/26
France got the final part of their World Cup preparations underway by hosting Ivory Coast in Nantes. Didier Deschamps, who was serenaded for his return to his former La Beaujoire ground, opted to give PSG’s Champions League winners at his disposal a breather.
With Bradley Barcola, Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé all benched, Rayan Cherki was handed the playmaker role, between left-winger Marcus Thuram and Michael Olise on the other side. Les Bleus captain Kylian Mbappé leads the line.
France dominated possession, but they were far from clinical in the final third. Kylian Mbappé and Rayan Cherki missed big chances in the first half, whereas Ivory Coast’s best chances stemmed from Les Bleus’ unforced errors. Mike Maignan proved alert to save Aurélien Tchouaméni’s blushes after the Real Madrid midfielder was too easily dispossessed by Simon Adingra.
Ivory Coast goalkeeper Yahia Fofana was called into action more often than not, but there was nothing he could do to prevent Cherki from opening the scoring. The Manchester City playmaker recovered the ball from Ibrahima Konaté, breezed past Seko Fofana and Yan Diomandé before finding the bottom right corner.

Spain and France, two of the biggest favorites for the upcoming World Cup, stumbled in friendlies played this Thursday (4).
They were saying goodbye to their home fans before traveling to the tournament.
But no one told the teams on the other side.
France — playing almost at full strength — took the lead, but Ivory Coast secured a 2-1 win in Nantes thanks to the less famous Doué shining.
Mbappé & Co.'s team had not lost since June 5 last year.

Although FC Nantes will be playing in Ligue 2 next season after finishing 17th in the table, Anthony Lopes (35) will remain in Ligue 1 for a few more months.
With his contract with Les Canaris due to expire next June, the Portuguese goalkeeper is set to sign a two-year deal with SCO Angers, according to L’Équipe. An option for a further year has also been included in the deal.
Having enjoyed a satisfying season on a personal level, Lopes will bring all his experience (he has played 427 matches in the French league, the majority for Olympique Lyonnais) to an Angers side now bereft of Hervé Koffi (29), whose loan from RC Lens came to an end at the close of the season.
A starter in all 31 matches he played for Nantes this season (17 of them as captain), Lopes kept six clean sheets and conceded a total of 51 goals.
GFFN | Léo Aschi

Perhaps FC Nantes needed to be relegated to Ligue 2 to kick off the new era that all the fans have been waiting for. But for Les Canaris, change is not necessarily an idea that everyone is in favour of.
Proof of this can be seen in their attraction to Michel Der Zakarian, 63, who, according to L’Équipe, is being lined up to succeed Vahid Halilhodžić, 74, for whom the end of the season marked the well-deserved end of his career.
Having managed Nantes from February 2007 to August 2008, and then from May 2012 to June 2016, ‘Der Zak’ is seen as the man capable of leading the Stade de la Beaujoire side back to the top flight by the 2027–28 season. A task that seems well within the Armenian coach’s capabilities, having already secured two promotions with FCN, in 2008 and 2013.
A resident of the Nantes area, he was apparently even spotted at the final of the Challenge Espoirs, won by the Nantes youth team a few weeks ago. This is enough to fuel speculation about a… third comeback.
GFFN | Léo Aschi

Report: PSG submit official request to Ligue 1 as they try to gain advantage over Chelsea

PSG are looking to postpone their Ligue 1 match against Nantes on March 15th in order to have more rest between the games against Chelsea according to reports.
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The draw for the last 16 of the Champions League took place on Friday morning with Chelsea coming up against the French champions in a repeat of the Club World Cup final.
The first leg will take place in Paris on March 11th before the