- The D1 Arkema is back this week with three Aussies in its ranks. Ellie Carpenter will play her fifth season with OL, Sarah Hunter will discover the D1 Féminine while wearing Paris FC’s colors, and Clare Hunt has joined Paris Saint-Germain during the last hours of the Mercato.
A dynamic Mercato
In a World Cup year, we could always have anticipated some moves in the French Championship.
Our list of transfers has international names such as Amandine Henry, Kadidiatou Diani, Ashley Lawrence, Melchie Dumornay, Amanda Ilestedt, Catarina Macário and Anissa Lahmari. There are also D1F breakthrough players (Sh’Nia Gordon, Julie Dufour, Kessya Bussy, Mélissa Gomes) and players that could be key in the relegation battle (Alexandra Lamontagne joining AS Saint-Etienne from relegated Rodez AF).
We should follow D1F newcomers Viola Calligaris and Ana Vitória, plus our wildcards: Malou Rylov (Denmark) joining Dijon FCO, Leidiane Vila Real De Andrade (Brazil) joining FC Fleury 91 and Reims’ American goalkeeper Mackenzie Wood.
Here is a 39 player list for the summer transfer window.
- Eseosa Aigbogun (Paris FC -> AS Roma)
- Emily Alvarado (Stade de Reims -> Houston Dash),
- Inès Belloumou (Montpellier HSC -> Bayern Munich),
- Laura Benkarth (FC Bayern Munich -> OL)
- Roselord Borgella (Dijon FCO -> Le Havre AC)
- Signe Bruun (OL -> Real Madrid),
- Kessya Bussy (Stade de Reims -> Paris FC),
- Viola Calligaris (Levante UD -> PSG)
- Mickaëlla Cardia (Girondins de Bordeaux FC -> Le Havre AC)
- Janice Cayman (OL -> Leicester City),
- Mylène Chavas (Girondins de Bordeaux -> Real Madrid),
- Julie Dufour (Girondins de Bordeaux ->Paris FC),
- Kadidiatou Diani (PSG -> OL),
- Melchie Dumornay (Stade de Reims -> OL),
- Solène Durand (EA Guingamp -> US Sassuolo),
- Maëlle Garbino (Girondins de Bordeaux ->Juventus),
- Mélissa Gomes (Girondins de Bordeaux -> Stade de Reims),
- Sh’Nia Gordon (Le Havre AC -> Montpellier HSC),
- Amandine Henry (OL -> Angel City FC),
- Clare Hunt (Western Sydney Wanderers FC -> Paris Saint-Germain)
- Sarah Hunter (Sydney FC -> Paris FC),
- Katarzyna Kiedrzynek (VfL Wolfsburg -> PSG),
- Amanda Ilestedt (PSG -> Arsenal FC),
- Anissa Lahmari (EA Guingamp -> FC Levante Las Planas),
- Alexandra Lamontagne (Rodez AF -> AS Saint-Etienne)
- Ashley Lawrence (PSG -> Chelsea WFC),
- Kethna Louis (Stade de Reims -> Montpellier HSC),
- Catarina Macário (OL -> Chelsea),
- Héloïse Mansuy (EA Guingamp -> Le Havre AC)
- Cosette Morche (Valencia CFF -> Montpellier HSC),
- Soufiya Ngueleu (PSG -> Montpellier HSC),
- Sonia Ouchene (Stade de Reims -> Montpellier HSC),
- Ella Palis (Girondins de Bordeaux ->Juventus),
- Lena Petermann (Montpellier HSC -> Leicester City),
- Julie Piga (FC Fleury -> AC Milan),
- Lisa Schmitz (Montpellier HSC -> VfL Wolfsburg),
- Dominika Škorvánková (Montpellier HSC -> FC Como),
- Julie Thibaud (Girondins de Bordeaux -> Leicester City),
- Ana Vitória (SL Benfica -> PSG)
Bienvenue Sarah Hunter!
Sarah Hunter has become the fifth Australian player to join the D1 Arkema after Laura Brock (Alleway), Ellie Carpenter, Mary Fowler and Lydia Williams. The A-League Young Player of the Year joined Paris FC from Sydney FC for three seasons until June 2026.
In her first interview with the club, she declared:
“The team have been really welcoming. Well, that’s obviously one of the best women’s clubs in Europe, especially in France. [I joined Paris FC] to challenge myself, to come over from Australia. The French League is one of the best leagues in the world. I think it was a great opportunity to learn and hopefully get better.
“I’ve been training with the team for a few days and they’re all very, very technical and really good on the ball. I’m hopeful I can add a different solid play coming from Australia. But I’m excited to learn a lot from them as well. Hopefully, I can add something to the team but I will be definitely taking a lot from the team as well.”
Full interview in English here: https://parisfc.fr/feminines/d1f/sarah-hunter-jespere-aider-au-succes-du-club/
Clare Hunt joined Paris Saint-Germain until 2026
A few hours before the kick-off of the D1 Arkema and the end of the transfer window, Paris Saint-Germain announced the signing of Clare Hunt for three seasons. She will become the sixth Aussie to play in France and the second with PSG after Williams.
Her first words were:
“I am extremely excited to be joining Paris Saint-Germain. I have had this as a goal of mine to play professionally overseas and to make the move to a big club, which I know would develop my football […] I made my debut with the national team this year and played the World Cup having that international exposure was great for me and gave me an opportunity to take my football overseas, to Paris. I am extremely excited to be here and to get started.”
Full interview in English here: https://x.com/PSG_Feminines/status/1702627749528002687?s=20
Trophée des Championnes: Ellie has won it all!
Olympique Lyonnais won the Trophée des Championnes thanks to a 2-0 win earlier this month. This success means that Ellie Carpenter has won every competition she can win with Olympique Lyonnais.
Le ́́ ́ de ce ́ 2023 !
C’est le moment de revivre les deux buts lyonnais et la remise du trophée pic.twitter.com/TvzkZSQ1Tp
— OL Féminin (@OLfeminin) September 11, 2023
At only 23, Carpenter has won the Liberty A-League Premiership, Liberty A-League Championship, 2 x D1 Arkema, 2 x UEFA Women’s Champions League, 2 x Coupe de France Féminine, 1 x Trophée des Championnes, 3 x Liberty A-League Young Footballer of the Year, PFA Women’s Footballer of the Year and the AFC Best Women’s Player award.
However, the game is not over. Lyon has only one goal this season: win the Quadruple (Trophée des Championnes (done), the League Championship, the UWCL and the French Cup).
“And this is competitive”. Maybe for real this time? Lyon can’t afford to lose points against Paris Saint-Germain, Montpellier HSC and Paris FC – all teams that have strengthened during the offseason. Moreover, the playoffs will add suspense to the Championship.
A more balanced championship
The new league format which includes playoffs could shake things up for 2023-24. The four best teams of the season will qualify for the playoffs with two goals: winning the Championship and qualifying for the UEFA Women’s Champions League (only three teams can qualify for the UWCL).
While there are clear contenders for a playoff spot (OL, PSG, Paris FC, FC Fleury and Montpellier HSC), nobody can know what could happen in a one-game playoff. After Round 22, 1st will face 4th and 2nd will face 3rd, then both winners and losers will play against each other to win the title or a UWCL spot.
Montpellier’s transfer business was some of the best in France (Levasseur, Louis, Ouchene, Gordon), while Paris FC outplayed Arsenal to qualify for the 2nd round of UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifying. PFC also recruited Kessya Bussy, one of the most wanted players in the country.
FC Fleury 91 wants to stay elite and keep their best offensive players (Le Garrec, Kouassi, Kamczyk) – they will threaten opponents thanks to their lethal efficiency.
Le Havre, Stade de Reims and Dijon will battle for a mid-table finish. Le Havre made some smart moves (Cardia, Bigot, Mansuy, Borgella), while Stade de Reims can count on their coach Amandine Miquel’s ability to develop breakthrough players and remain competitive. Dijon lost some players, but their experience could help them to win important points against less experienced teams.
At the bottom, the relegation battle could be ferocious. Both newly-promoted AS Saint-Etienne and Lille OSC will have difficulties, however players with previous D1F experience could give them a chance. ASSE will be led by new signing Lamontagne, Kristen Scott and Laury Jesus. LOSC, who look to have a deeper team than ASSE, will be led by Jessy Roux, Anaïs Ribeyra and Aurore Paprzycki. EA Guingamp will rely on their character and unity to save them from relegation.
Another team will have a big challenge: Girondins de Bordeaux. They have lost some of their best players during what has been a difficult time for the club. Coach Patrice Lair will count on some young players, most of whom have never played in the elite division. This season could be 50-50 for Bordeaux.
Some progress in TV rights … but still behind other European leagues
The black mark on D1 Arkema: economics and TV rights. Fortunately, Canal + Group has acquired D1’s TV rights until the 2028-29 season. Canal + Sport (premium channel) will stream two “premium games” per round, while the others will be broadcast on Dailymotion without a paywall. The Canal + group will also stream the entire playoffs.
At least, we can see women’s football and hopefully, our Aussies performing well in France. Bonne saison à tous!
