With only one official recruit, Alan Kérouédan, and no departure since the start of the transfer window, the GF38 is experiencing a very calm start to the off-season. A situation which can be explained in view of an uncertain context surrounding future TV rights for Ligue 1.
A cautious Ligue 1
Managing Director of GF38, Max Marty admitted during his recent hearing before the Senate that for the first time in a long time, no Ligue 1 club had made an offer for one of its players. While Grenoble must sell this summer – for around 2 million euros to be calm according to our information – there is no rush at the gate at the moment. In any case not at the level of the amounts hoped for certain “bankable” elements (Joseph, Sbaï, Meissa Ba…). The GF38 suffers from the reluctance of a particularly cautious market, while the TV rights have still not been allocated and the sum hoped for by Vincent Labrune and the LFP a few months ago will be whatever the final outcome far from ‘be reached.
No salary splurge yet
The absence of departures necessarily slows down arrivals, with the exception of Alan Kérouédan who arrived free and with a very affordable salary on a Grenoble scale. The GF38 will not do anything crazy either and high-salary recruits (but still within the framework of the “salary cap”) who will only be enrolled once the club knows precisely what TV rights it will be able to count on for the five coming years. To put it simply: we will not spend a penny that we do not have on the GF side, even if it means revising the objectives and the budget downwards if the news of TV rights was bad.
As a reminder, if Ligue 2 TV rights have been allocated (39 million), Ligue 2 clubs receive a % of the total amount, less various costs. It is therefore the rights generated by Ligue 1 which will count. Doubly so for Grenoble: to be able to sell certain elements at the best possible price (unless you find a buyer abroad) and to have a global payroll which will allow you to recruit the 2-3 large offensive reinforcements expected.
Until then at GF38 we will have to do like everywhere else in France: wait.
