Montpellier is experiencing a nightmare season. If the Hérault club recorded its second success of the season against Brest before the international break in November, the team remains last in Ligue 1.
The arrival of Jean-Louis Gasset on the bench to replace Michel Der Zakarian brought a new state of mind, but this risks being insufficient to save the club from relegation, especially if Montpellier were to be banned from recruiting this winter.
A sanction similar to that of OL for Montpellier?
According to journalist Romain Molina, Montpellier could be sanctioned by the DNCG during its planned visit in the coming days. After spending €0 last summer, Laurent Nicollin has to deal with finances in the red.
The club will have to downsize this winter after the abortive departures of Becir Omeragic, Joris Chotard and Musa Al-Taamari during the last summer transfer window. If the DNCG were to impose a ban on recruitment, it would be catastrophic for the Hérault club which could only compensate for the departure of its high market values with loans.
€2.3 million loss for the MHSC
According to Sportsthe financial results of Montpellier are particularly bad on the balance sheet of June 30, 2024. The media specializing in sports business managed to get their hands on the results of the Hérault club.
Montpellier would show a net loss of 2,325,164 euros for the 2023-2024 financial year, a loss similar to that of the previous season. Even more worrying, the MHSC's turnover is stagnating (€49.5 million net in 2024, €48.1 million in 2023). At the same time, the wage bill has not fallen.
Montpellier's deficit could have been even greater without the revenue linked to transfers from the 2023/2024 season. Indeed, Montpellier sold Elye Wahi for more than €30 million to RC Lens and Stephy Mavididi for €7.5 million to Leicester.
Alarming forecasts
With 0€ transfers during the last summer transfer window and TV rights in free fall, Montpellier could suffer heavy losses during the next assessment, especially since revenues linked to sponsorship or ticketing should not increase despite the 50th anniversary years of the club.
Two solutions are available to Laurent Nicollin: put his hand in his pocket and sell players this winter. Joris Chotard should, for example, be pushed out in the coming weeks. In addition, the end of the contract of Wahbi Khazri, whose salary is estimated at 180,000 euros per month, should make it possible to alleviate the club's finances a little.
The next few weeks promise to be decisive for Montpellier and Laurent Nicollin. The first step will be for Hérault leaders to appear before the DNCG. It remains to be seen whether Laurent Nicollin will be able to count on the many friends he has at the LFP.
Passionate about sport since my childhood, I was lulled by the exploits of Juninho. A big fan of Olympique Lyonnais and Peter Sagan, I live to the rhythm of sporting events. Graduated with a degree in political science, I returned to my first passion by taking charge of the editorial staff of We Sport in July 2022, then more recently that of DailyMercato. Recently, I decided to leave the gray of Pas-de-Calais for the sun of Andalusia.
