Middlesbrough have invested wisely in the transfer window. Their recruitment as seen the arrival of Burgzorg, Hamilton and Morris - all of whom have shown that they have the potential to be great signings. However, Kieran Scott claimed that the clubs transfer business is not yet over. Boro’s interest in Giles and Conway has been well documented. Both would make for good recruits. But, it may be worth looking further afield too.
Ligue 1 in Crisis:
Across the channel, France’s top division is in crisis. Despite having PSG amongst its members, the league has struggled to drum up interest in it's TV rights. This has caused a year-on-year decline in income for clubs. French Professional Football League (FPL) looked to remedy the issue claiming that they would capture a deal worth over €1bn for 5 years of TV rights - equating to £200m per season.
Bidding for the TV rights were opened earlier in the summer with the league holding a reserve price which was the minimum they were willing to accept in the deal. However, broadcasters showed little interest in the Ligue 1 rights with no bids being lodged.
Less than a month left until the start of the season. Ligue 1 looked to salvage the situation negotiating a deal between DAZN and Saudi-backed beIN Sport. The former paying £400m for the majority of the games with beIN paying £100m for exclusive rights to the biggest games in the league and advertising space.
It wasn't a simple negotiation either. French President Emmanuel Macron contacting the Emiri of Saudi to encourage BeIn to invest in TV rights. A mutually beneficial deal as the league collapsing is not in the best interest of Saudi-owned PSG.
In total, the deal was worth £500m, half of what was promised to Ligue 1 clubs. Worser still it is indicator of a the declining interest in the league. The Transfer Window podcast reported that the deal is a16.5% decrease on their last tv rights deal and a 38.5% decrease on the disastrous 2020 deal with Media pro a Spanish-Chinese company which pulled out of the deal early into the season after unconvincing margins.
It was a desperate move from Ligue 1 to salvage their TV rights and save a handful of their clubs from liquidation as they needed the funds to pay players.
Ligue 1 clubs:
This is an unfortunate situation for French football. The league that has produced many of the worlds best and brightest talents is now in clear decline. Long dubbed a “farmers league” by fans, the reputation is now starting to hurt the league and threatens further harm to beloved clubs.
Ligue 1 is looking to offset it's reputation as a “farmers league” with policies that will see the redistribution of TV rights to create a more competitive and balanced competition. Whether it will be enough to salvage the competition or whether it's too little too late remains to be seen.
In the immediate, several clubs in Ligue 1 are facing a crisis. They haven't received close to the amount promised to the by – leaving their books unbalanced and open to finding new avenues for income. While in the football world, the next most lucrative income stream is football transfers.
An Opportunity:
In business, one man's loss is another man's game, and the same can be said for football. The unfortunate and distressing Russian invasion of Ukraine opened up opportunities for other European clubs to poach talent from the Ukrainian league.
The drop in revenue, gate-returns and the numerous understandable want-away stars meant that there was a bargain to be had. Many clubs recruited from Ukraine - finding themselves exceptional deals and helping the Ukrainian league survive in very extreme circumstances.
While not on the same level and the war in Ukraine, the depressed market for Ligue 1 TV rights has presented an opportunity for other clubs in other leagues. These clubs are operating in a depressed market which has seen a drop in transfers this summer worsening the economic reality for Ligue 1 clubs. In this environment and in desperate need of revenue, there will be several clubs willing to part with players for discounted prices.
Conclusion:
It would be a shame for Middlesbrough to not look towards the French market. In recent years, France’s exports have been a mixed bunch with some high-profile successes and failures. It means that signing players from France is a risk. However, that risk is mitigated by the cut price which some of their players may be listed at.
Historically, Middlesbrough have had great success recruiting from abroad. Several club heroes including Fabrizio Ravanelli, Juninho, Emerson all came from foreign shores. While Didier Digard and Franck Queudrue are amongst a small successful contingent of French players that have done well on Teesside.
If Middlesbrough are intelligent in the transfer market, which Kieran Scott has proven himself to be, then the club could find a steal that could help their push for promotion and offer financial upsides in the future.
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