French Club Nice Puts Entire Squad Up for Sale to Rebuild After Struggles

French Ligue 1 club Nice, one of the country's respected football teams, has taken the unusual step of putting all its players up for sale following a difficult season. The club narrowly avoided relegation, finishing with just 32 points and seven wins. Owned by Jim Ratcliffe, who also co-owns Manchester United, Nice recently appointed former player Roger Riquet as sporting director. The club aims to raise approximately 50 million euros to rebuild its squad.

Nice has already signed midfielder Laurent Abergel, who will not be sold, but all other players remain available on the transfer market. The current squad is valued at around 144 million euros and includes notable players such as former Maccabi Tel Aviv player Rares Ilie, Algerian Hichem Belhadji, Frenchman Soufiane Diop, experienced Jonathan Klaus, and former Porto player Tremoubi Moffi. Notably, seven Nice players are currently participating in the World Cup.

This bold move reflects the club's urgent need to restructure after several challenging years and a season spent fighting to stay in France's top division. The management hopes the funds raised will enable a fresh start and improved performance in upcoming seasons.