The new faces to look out for in Ligue 1

PSG have splashed out to entice free agents Ramos, Donnarumma and Wijnaldum while paying 60 million euros for Hakimi

PARIS:

With the 2021/22 French season starting on Friday, AFP Sport picks out some of the new faces and names to watch:

Paris Saint-Germain have not held back as they look to reclaim the Ligue 1 title from last season's surprise champions Lille. The Qatar-owned club have splashed out to entice free agents Sergio Ramos, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Georginio Wijnaldum to the Parc des Princes on big-money contracts and also paid a reported 60 million euros ($71 million) to sign Achraf Hakimi from Inter Milan.

Ramos and Donnarumma are the most glamorous new signings. The 35-year-old veteran Spain defender arrived on a two-year deal after 16 years at Real Madrid, while Donnarumma arrived from AC Milan and penned a five-year contract after starring as Italy won Euro 2020.

However, eyebrows have been raised about his signing given PSG already had a fine goalkeeper in Keylor Navas, while Ramos will provide an alternative to centre-back pairing Marquinhos and Presnel Kimpembe.

In contrast, Netherlands captain Wijnaldum will offer much-needed quality in midfield after joining from Liverpool and Hakimi is an outstanding addition in the right-back position where PSG were badly lacking last season as they fell short in Ligue 1 and in the Champions League.

Nice came ninth last season, a disappointing performance for the club owned by Ineos, the group chaired by Monaco-based British petrochemicals billionaire Jim Ratcliffe.

They have big ambitions, as confirmed by the appointment as coach of Christophe Galtier, the man who inspired Lille to last season's title.

The 54-year-old Galtier, who previously had a successful spell at Saint-Etienne, had been linked with a move abroad but opted to stay in France and head to the Cote d'Azur.

Nice have already spent big in the transfer market, signing the likes of former Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina from Southampton, Netherlands forward Calvin Stengs from AZ Alkmaar and winger Justin Kluivert on loan from Roma.

In total nine Ligue 1 clubs come into the season with a new coach and Bordeaux are another after they appointed Vladimir Petkovic.

Petkovic spent the last seven years in charge of Switzerland and took them to the quarter-finals of Euro 2020, knocking out France on penalties in the last 16 before losing in a shoot-out to Spain.

He takes over a club that was on the brink of bankruptcy before being bought last month by Gerard Lopez, the Luxembourg-born businessman who previously owned Lille.

Monaco did not struggle for goals in Ligue 1 last season, averaging two a game as they finished third, but they have moved to further strengthen their attack for an assault on the Champions League as well as the domestic front with the signing of Myron Boadu.

The 20-year-old Dutchman arrives from AZ Alkmaar on a five-year deal after scoring 29 goals over the last two seasons in the Eredivisie.

Boadu, whose brace knocked out France in the quarter-finals of the European Under-21 Championship in May, cost a reported 17 million euros and provides competition to Kevin Volland and Wissam Ben Yedder in Niko Kovac's Monaco front line.

Troyes and Clermont are an intriguing promoted pair, two clubs lacking top-flight credentials but hoping to cause a few upsets.

Troyes, from the Champagne region, have spent much of the last decade going up and down between the divisions but won the Ligue 2 title last season having been brought under the Manchester City umbrella of the City Football Group.

Clermont, in central France, is a town better known for its rugby team but they are now in Ligue 1 for the first time under the ownership of Swiss entrepreneur Ahmet Schaefer.