The leaders of ASSE have studied several profiles at length to succeed Olivier Dall’Oglio, among them Gabriel Heinze, then Artesta’s assistant in Arsenal. Interest in Heinze, a former Ligue 1 player, was motivated by his rigor, his ability to develop young talent and his “bielist” influence. However, doubts remained about his mixed career and his sometimes difficult character, holding back his arrival at Saint-Étienne, Lens and Reims. Finally, Eirik Horneland, former coach of Brann Bergen, was chosen to revive the group, a decision confirmed despite the club’s relegation to Ligue 2. The goal is to capitalize on the work already done to aim for a quick recovery, while maintaining a solid base of young players. The arrival of Heinze could have been part of this project, he who has already revealed talents such as Thiago Almada and Nicolas Dominguez to Vélez Sarsfield. Heinze finally chose to become Mikel Arteta’s deputy in Arsenal, a role more in retreat but adapted to his temperament, allowing him to take a step back in a more stable environment.

At the same time, the DNCG finally authorized the participation in Ligue 1 of French clubs such as Lyon, Le Havre, Angers and Nantes, after a period of uncertainty due to threats of administrative relegation. This decision is the result of considerable efforts by these clubs to demonstrate their financial strength, with injections and guarantees of a total of EUR 1.1 billion. Olympique Lyonnais, in particular, had to review its budget plan and got rid of some key elements to obtain the approval of the DNCG, with Michelle Kang arriving at the head of management. Despite these successes, the economic situation of French football remains worrying, with a loss of operation of 1.3 billion euros for the 2024/2025 season and forecasts of significant losses for many clubs for the 2025/2026 season.

The DNCG stresses the need for a thorough reform to make the economic model of French football sustainable. Lower divisions, such as AC Ajaccio, were less lenient and were relegated due to their inability to provide adequate financial guarantees. In the face of increasing burdens, declining TV rights and a constant need for transfers, the DNCG calls for a reduction in charges and a strengthening of own funds. The future of French football will depend on the ability of clubs to adopt rigorous financial management and adapt to an increasingly difficult economic environment.