Olympique Lyon are considering whether to pursue a permanent deal for Lois Openda when his season-long loan from Juventus expires next summer.

The Belgium international joined the Ligue 1 club after finding it difficult to establish himself at the Serie A side. Lyon paid a €3 million loan fee for the 26-year-old, but their agreement does not include an option to buy.

A permanent transfer remains a realistic possibility, according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, who told Tutto Juve that the outcome could depend largely on Lyon’s performances during the current campaign.

Openda previously made a strong impression in Ligue 1 with RC Lens before moving abroad. He will now be aiming to regain that form during his return to France at the Groupama Stadium.

Lyon’s prospects of signing him outright could be strengthened by a successful domestic season. Qualification for the Champions League would provide both a sporting and financial incentive for the club to approach Juventus about a permanent transfer next summer.

Olympique Lyon defender Moussa Niakhate will miss Friday night’s Ligue 1 trip to RC Lens after suffering a hamstring injury.

The Senegal international is also considered doubtful for Lyon’s UEFA Europa League meeting with Crystal Palace on 15 October, according to L’Equipe.

Niakhate withdrew from the Teranga Lions squad during the international break and returned to Lyon to continue his recovery.

The 30-year-old has become an important member of the Lyon defence and has rarely been rested despite the club competing on several fronts this season.

Niakhate has made eight appearances in all competitions so far, including three Champions League qualifying matches.

Juventus are preparing to advance negotiations over a January move for Marseille midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that initial contact has already been made with representatives of the 31-year-old Denmark international, with further discussions expected in the near future.

Hojbjerg stayed at Marseille during the summer despite reports that the Ligue 1 club were keen to sell him because of financial difficulties.

A proposed transfer to Newcastle United fell through after Hojbjerg turned down the move. Marseille then removed him as captain.

However, the midfielder continues to have the support of manager Bruno Genesio and remains a regular member of the Marseille side.

Hojbjerg is understood to be willing to leave the French club if he can join an ambitious project at a leading European club, a stance that could allow Juventus to pursue a deal in January.

Christophe Galtier says he has no immediate plans to retire and remains open to returning to Ligue 1 while continuing his coaching career with Saudi Arabian club SC Neom.

The 59-year-old Frenchman told Le Parisien that France’s top flight remains close to him because it is the competition he knows best.

Galtier has won the Ligue 1 title twice. He led Lille to the championship in 2021 before repeating the achievement during his only season in charge of Paris Saint-Germain.

His previous clubs in France also include Saint-Etienne and Nice.

After leaving Paris Saint-Germain, Galtier moved to Qatar to manage Al-Duhail. He subsequently took charge of SC Neom and has made an impressive start in Saudi Arabia, winning five of the club’s seven Saudi Pro League matches this season.

Despite that success, Galtier has not ruled out another challenge in France. He also said he would consider opportunities elsewhere, while making clear that ending his managerial career is not currently under consideration.

“One thing is sure, I will still be a manager for at least the next three years,” he said.

Dino Toppmoller says he was “stunned” to leave RC Lens after managing the Ligue 1 side in only six competitive matches.

The former Eintracht Frankfurt manager departed by mutual consent last month, despite leading Lens to several notable results during his brief spell in charge.

Toppmoller guided Lens past Paris Saint-Germain in the Trophee des Champions and also oversaw a UEFA Champions League victory against Slavia Prague.

However, Lens won only one of the four Ligue 1 matches played under his management, leaving the club 10th in the table.

The club said his departure followed disagreements over its restructuring plans. Toppmoller and the Lens hierarchy were reported to have different views about the direction of the club.

Speaking on the Spielmacher von 360Media podcast, via L’Equipe, Toppmoller said the circumstances surrounding his dismissal had been particularly difficult.

“To find yourself confronted by the fact that, if your assistant remained an assistant, you yourself were sacked, was a blow,” he said.

Toppmoller described the end of his time at Lens as “a big disappointment and a shock”, while also saying he had been “stunned” by the decision.

He criticised Morgado, describing him as “too demanding, too loud, (and) in conflict with too many people.”

Olympique Lyon defender Moussa Niakhate has been sent back to his club after suffering an unspecified injury while on international duty with Senegal.

The Senegalese Football Federation confirmed on Thursday evening that the 30-year-old had been released from Patrick Vieira’s squad and would return to the Ligue 1 side for further assessment and treatment.

Niakhate underwent an MRI scan in Marseille on Monday, although no details about the nature or severity of the injury have been disclosed.

The decision to return him to Olympique Lyon was taken after the examination, with the centre-back now set to miss Senegal’s upcoming international fixture against Comoros on October 4.

Niakhate has been an important part of the French club’s team this season and has rarely been rested despite Olympique Lyon competing in multiple competitions.

He has made eight appearances across all competitions so far, including three in UEFA Champions League qualifiers.

The defender’s withdrawal is the latest change to Vieira’s squad during the international break, with Senegal now preparing for the meeting with Comoros without one of their regular defensive options.

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Senny Mayulu will miss several weeks after sustaining a left thigh injury while away with France U21s.

The 20-year-old was substituted shortly before half-time in Les Bleuets’ 2-0 win over Estonia earlier this week. France U21 coach Gerald Baticle initially said Mayulu had felt pain in his left thigh and that the change was precautionary.

The problem has since been confirmed as more serious than first thought.

PSG said on Thursday that their academy graduate had suffered a thigh injury and would receive treatment over the coming weeks.

Mayulu has found regular first-team opportunities limited with Les Parisiens this season. He has made four appearances in all competitions and has also been left out of several matchday squads.

Football’s history is marked by scandals involving bribery, match-fixing, illegal betting and attempts to evade financial regulations. Few have produced consequences as far-reaching as the case involving Manchester City, who were charged with 115 breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules.

The club’s alleged use of sham sponsorship agreements and artificially inflated revenue followed a 2009 takeover by Abu Dhabi United Group, led by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The charges prompted renewed interest in how some of the sport’s most significant scandals were uncovered – and how the clubs and individuals involved were punished.

Calciopoli – Italy, 2004-06

The scandal centred on Juventus director Luciano Moggi, who was investigated after Italian authorities began examining possible doping by Juventus players.

Telephone conversations between Moggi, FIGC officials and refereeing board members revealed that he had sought particular referees for Juventus and other Serie A clubs. He was also accused of arranging payments connected to referees and influencing suspensions so opponents would be weakened against Juventus.

Investigators examined 19 matches from the 2004-05 Serie A season, including seven involving Juventus. The inquiry involved nine referees and 41 suspects, including club presidents and executives, referees, referee designators, assistant referees and senior FIGC officials.

Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina were also investigated. Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani was accused of requesting favourable assistant referees. Fiorentina owners Diego and Andrea Della Valle were investigated over attempts to influence officials to avoid relegation, while Lazio president Claudio Lotito was examined over efforts to secure favourable refereeing appointments. Arezzo, Reggina, Siena and Triestina were also among the clubs involved in the wider investigation.

Juventus received the most severe punishment in Italian football history. They were stripped of the 2005 and 2006 titles, relegated to Serie B, deducted nine points and fined €75,000. The club’s entire board resigned after the 2005-06 season, while Moggi and former chief executive Antonio Giraudo received lifetime bans from Italian football.

Fiorentina were initially relegated to Serie B, but won an appeal and remained in Serie A. They were excluded from the 2006-07 UEFA Champions League, began that Serie A season with a 15-point deduction and had to play two matches behind closed doors.

Lazio also had their relegation overturned on appeal. They were instead deducted three points and banned from the 2006-07 UEFA Cup. Milan were deducted eight points and had 30 points removed from their previous Serie A total, preventing them from qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. Reggina were deducted 11 points, while no champion was officially assigned for the 2004-05 Serie A season.

Marseille and the Valenciennes bribe – 1993

A day before the Ligue 1 match between Olympique Marseille and Valenciennes on 20 May 1993, Marseille president Bernard Tapie and general manager Jean-Pierre Bernes instructed midfielder Jean-Jacques Eydelie to approach three Valenciennes players: Jorge Burruchaga, Jacques Glassmann and Christophe Robert.

The aim was for them to play below their level and avoid injuring Marseille players before the UEFA Champions League final against Milan on 26 May. Tapie told Eydelie: “It is imperative that you get in touch with your former Nantes team-mates at Valenciennes. We don't want them acting like idiots and breaking us before the final with Milan.”

Robert, Valenciennes’ captain, and Burruchaga accepted the bribes. Robert persuaded the team to deliberately lose, and Marseille won 1-0. Glassmann refused and reported the approach to referee Jean-Marie Veniel, who had noticed unusual incidents during the match, and Valenciennes manager Boro Primorac. He did not identify those involved at that stage.

French police searched the Marseille dressing room after the match. After Marseille won Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League final, Robert contacted the authorities and admitted his involvement. He had received F250,000 from Eydelie, equivalent to €63,404 in 2025. Eydelie was arrested alongside Bernes.

Olympique Marseille were stripped of the 1992/93 title and relegated to Ligue 2 in 1994 for the bribery and financial offences. The club filed for bankruptcy in 1995 and did not return to Ligue 1 until 1996, after three seasons in the second tier.

Tapie and Bernes were given lifetime bans from French football, although FIFA overturned Bernes’ ban in 1996. Tapie was sentenced to 26 months in prison for match-fixing and fraud and fined F20,000. Bernes received a two-year suspended sentence and a fine.

Eydelie was given a one-year suspended prison sentence and a two-year worldwide football ban. Burruchaga and Robert each received six-month suspended sentences, while Burruchaga was suspended from football for six months and Robert for one year. Glassmann received the 1995 FIFA Fair Play Award for exposing the attempted bribe.

West Ham, Tevez and Mascherano – 2006-07

West Ham’s signing of Argentine World Cup players Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano from Corinthians attracted immediate attention. Chelsea had been close to signing Tevez, but the striker joined West Ham and was presented beside manager Alan Pardew at Upton Park.

The club increased the speculation by saying that “all other aspects of the transfer will remain confidential and undisclosed”. It later emerged that West Ham had breached Premier League rules relating to third-party ownership.

Agent Kia Joorabchian, who was also involved in advanced takeover discussions with West Ham, played a central role. His company MSI partly owned the players’ rights, while West Ham’s agreements with Tevez and Mascherano included undisclosed private arrangements with offshore companies linked to Joorabchian. Those agreements were not revealed when the players were registered.

Mascherano moved to Liverpool in January, but Tevez became central to West Ham’s successful fight against relegation. He scored seven goals in the club’s final 10 matches as they stayed up by three points.

Before the end of the season, West Ham – by then owned by Icelandic investor Eggert Magnusson – were found to have seriously misled the Premier League and broken two competition rules. On 28 April, the club avoided a points deduction but received a British-record fine of £5.5 million, a punishment that ultimately allowed them to remain in the Premier League.

Sheffield United finished 18th on goal difference and were relegated to the Championship. They challenged the decision at a tribunal but failed to have it overturned. The club later received £20 million in a court settlement after it was concluded that Tevez’s goals had made a decisive difference to the final league outcome.

Totonero – Italy, 1979-80

The Totonero scandal began when Roman restaurant owner Alvaro Trinca and his supplier, Massimo Cruciani, devised a plan involving Lazio players who visited the restaurant. They intended to fix matches and win money through Totocalcio, Italy’s state-run betting pool and the country’s only legal form of sports betting at the time.

Lazio players agreed to manipulate matches in return for a share of the winnings. However, the results went against Trinca and Cruciani, who had lost more than 100 million Italian lire by February 1980. They reported the scheme to Rome’s Public Prosecutor, alleging that 27 players and 13 Serie A and Serie B clubs were involved.

Milan and Lazio were relegated to Serie B after the 1979/80 season, while Milan president Felice Colombo was banned from Italian football. Avellino, Bologna and Perugia were each deducted five points for the 1980/81 Serie A season. Palermo and Taranto received the same deduction in Serie B.

Twenty players were given comprehensive football bans. Avellino’s Stefano Pellegrini received the longest, lasting six years, while 11 players were suspended for at least three years. Among those punished was striker Paolo Rossi, who returned shortly before the 1982 FIFA World Cup, where he won the Golden Boot and was named Player of the Tournament.

All active players who remained banned when Italy won the 1982 World Cup were reinstated soon afterwards.

European betting investigation – 2009

A probe by the Prosecutorial Office in Bochum, Germany, began as an investigation into organised crime. Phone interceptions uncovered widespread betting fraud, prompting raids in the UK, Germany, Switzerland and Austria in November 2009.

Prosecutors said at least 200 matches in nine European countries had been manipulated through bribes to players, coaches and officials. Croatian brothers Ante and Milan Sapina were identified as the leaders of the operation. Ukrainian referee Oleg Oriekhov was caught fixing a UEFA Europa League match between FC Basel and CSKA Sofia in November 2009.

A German investigation found that 32 matches at different levels had been manipulated, including games involving SSV Ulm, SC Verl and VfL Osnabruck. Turkey accounted for 29 affected matches, including fixtures involving Fenerbahce, Besiktas and Istanbul Basaksehir.

The inquiry also covered 11 matches in Austria, 22 in Switzerland, 17 in Belgium, 14 in Croatia, seven in Slovenia, 13 in Hungary and eight in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Three UEFA Champions League qualifiers and 12 UEFA Europa League qualifiers were investigated.

UEFA had already banned FK Pobeda from European competition for eight years for fixing a 2004 UEFA Champions League qualifier against Pyunik. The club’s president Aleksandar Zabrcanec and captain Nikolce Zdravevski received lifetime bans from European football.

A German referee was accused of accepting a bribe in a regional league match in May 2009. SSV Ulm players Davor Kraljevic, Marijo Marinovic and Dinko Radojevic were denounced by the club for their alleged involvement. SC Verl player Patrick Neumann admitted receiving a €500 bribe and was suspended, along with Tim Hagedorn. VfL Osnabruck player Marchel Schou admitted that a 3-0 defeat by Augsburg in April 2009 had been manipulated and was fined.

No Austrian clubs were held responsible, although Kapfenberg players were alleged to have received substantial payments to lose against Red Bull Salzburg, Rapid Wien and Austria Wien during the 2009/10 season.

In Switzerland, FC Thun and FC Gossau were investigated. Thun players were suspected of receiving thousands of Swiss francs, while Gossau midfielder Mario Bigoni said a 2009 match against Locarno was “not clean”. Gossau players were reportedly paid tens of thousands of francs. Bigoni was found dead in the Rhine River in October 2011.

Ante Sapina, who had also been convicted in the 2005 Bundesliga match-fixing case, served five years in prison. Milan Sapina received a 10-month sentence. Better Tuna A. and betting office operators Stevan R. and Nurretin G. were sentenced to 44 and 47 months respectively for manipulating 32 matches and bribing players.

Manchester City – 2009-18

Manchester City’s rise began after Abu Dhabi United Group’s 2009 takeover, when major investment helped the club win titles and challenge the Premier League’s established order.

Following leaks published by German newspaper Der Spiegel and a lengthy investigation, the Premier League announced in February 2023 that Manchester City had been charged with 115 breaches of its financial rules. The charges covered a nine-year period in which the club was accused of using deliberately overvalued sponsorship contracts to circumvent the regulations.

Sponsors allegedly paid only part of the stated value, with Emirati owners covering the remainder. This allowed Manchester City to record profits on paper rather than build the club’s equity through genuine revenue.

On 29 September 2026, the club was found guilty of 114 of the 115 charges. The findings said Manchester City had inflated revenue and artificially generated more than £900 million in profits.

Manchester City announced on 2 October that it would appeal the independent commission’s verdict. A final ruling, including any disciplinary action, is expected before the end of January 2027.

Nice have brought Mohamed Abdelmonem back from the Egypt national team camp as a precaution ahead of their next international fixture.

The 27-year-old centre-back returned to his club after Nice and Egypt’s medical staff agreed that he should not take part in a match being played on an artificial pitch.

The decision follows a difficult period with injuries for Abdelmonem. He missed much of last season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury before developing an ankle problem after his return.

That issue subsequently kept him out of two matches for the Pharaohs.

Nice thanked the Egyptian national team for agreeing to release Abdelmonem early, with the club keen to avoid exposing him to the risk of another setback.

The defender will continue his preparations in the south of France as he works towards a return to domestic action.

Nice, also known as Le Gym, are scheduled to play RC Strasbourg Alsace in Ligue 1 on October 11. Abdelmonem will hope to be fit and available for that fixture.

Olympique Marseille have been handed a boost after Amine Gouiri’s thigh injury was found to be less serious than initially feared.

The forward returned early from international duty with Algeria because of the problem, but, according to L’Equipe, he is expected to recover in time for Marseille’s Ligue 1 match against ESTAC Troyes on October 11.

There is less certainty over Algeria team-mate Himad Abdelli, who suffered an ankle injury while on international duty. Abdelli has remained with the national team while his condition is assessed.

Marseille will be without Derek Cornelius for a much longer period. The defender is expected to miss the rest of the current period until early 2027 because of a hip injury.

There is more positive news regarding Tochukwu Nnadi, who is due to return to first-team training this week after recovering from the knee injury he sustained in August.

Geoffrey Kondogbia remains unavailable, however, as he continues his rehabilitation from a thigh problem suffered during the match against AS Monaco.

Lille midfielder Ethan Mbappe could be sidelined for three weeks after injuring his right ankle while on international duty with France Under-21s.

The 19-year-old was withdrawn after 12 minutes of France’s 2-0 win over Estonia on Tuesday, following a challenge from an opposing player, according to L’Equipe.

France Under-21 coach Gerald Baticle said after the match that he was concerned about the extent of Mbappe’s injury.

If the projected recovery period is confirmed, Mbappe will miss Lille’s Ligue 1 meetings with Le Havre on October 10 and Stade Brestois 29 the following week.

Mbappe has featured six times for Lille this season, making five starts. He has scored one goal and provided one assist.

The midfielder is already facing a separate three-match suspension in the Champions League after being sent off against Real Betis. As a result, he would have missed Lille’s high-profile fixtures against Arsenal and Galatasaray even without the ankle problem.

Javier Pastore says Paris Saint-Germain’s rise to the top of European football was the result of a project mapped out from the moment he became the club’s first marquee signing in 2011.

The former Argentina and PSG playmaker joined the French club at the start of its modern era, before the arrivals of Thiago Silva, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ezequiel Lavezzi and a succession of global stars.

“From the start, you could see the ambition of the board, the president and the Qatari group,” Pastore told Flashscore. “They wanted to build a club capable of winning the Champions League, with a world-class training centre, a redeveloped stadium and a squad to compete at the highest level.”

Pastore, 36, said PSG’s development had extended beyond the pitch, with the club’s infrastructure and training facilities growing alongside its teams.

“Over the last 15 years, the club has grown exponentially and now sits at the top table alongside the biggest clubs in Europe and world football,” he said.

During his time in Paris, PSG repeatedly fell in the Champions League quarter-finals. Pastore believes injuries, narrow margins and stronger opponents prevented them from going further, although he feels the foundations for the club’s later success were already in place.

He highlighted a 2-2 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, in which PSG played almost the entire match with 10 men, as his proudest moment with the club.

“It was an incredible emotional high to show that character and advance against a top side,” he said.

Pastore also credited his early years at Palermo with preparing him for European football. He moved there aged 19 and described the city, supporters and dressing room as central to his development.

He praised manager Delio Rossi, former president Maurizio Zamparini and sporting director Walter Sabatini, whom he described as a confidant, father figure, uncle and director of football.

“Those two years in Palermo were magnificent, both on the pitch and in life,” Pastore said.

The elegant number 10 later played for Roma, but a hip injury restricted his impact and eventually contributed to his retirement several years later. He remains disappointed that he could not give the club and its supporters more.

“Roma is a club and a city that lives and breathes football,” he said. “My family and I loved living there, and the warmth of the people made it even harder not to repay that love fully on the pitch.”

Pastore believes the current Roma side has the squad depth, unity and managerial leadership to compete domestically and in Europe, while the packed Stadio Olimpico provides a powerful environment.

He also reflected on his years alongside Lionel Messi in the Argentina set-up. Pastore said Messi initially led through his performances before becoming increasingly vocal in the dressing room.

“He did not need to shout. We knew that when he stepped on to the pitch, he would win us matches,” Pastore said. “Away from football, he is quiet, relaxed and down to earth, and we have maintained a great friendship.”

Pastore described Messi’s legacy with the Argentina shirt as already immortal, placing him alongside Diego Maradona at the summit of Argentine football. He said generations of players would be motivated by following in the footsteps of Mario Kempes, Maradona and Messi.

The former player has now moved into football agency after studying for more than two years and completing FIFA and UEFA qualifications. His experience of different leagues, injuries, contracts and transfers has encouraged him to mentor younger players.

He looks beyond talent when assessing prospects, prioritising professionalism, character, work ethic and the desire to improve. Pastore says his role is to match players with the right club, league, tactical system and manager rather than simply pursue the biggest name or financial offer.

He cited his own move to Palermo as an example of taking an intermediate step before joining an elite club, warning that young players can lose vital development years by moving too quickly.

Pastore’s agency represents Enzo Fernandez, with whom he says he formed an immediate relationship after the midfielder had spoken to more than 10 agents following his departure from his previous representative.

At a three-hour lunch in Argentina, Fernandez told Pastore he wanted to work with him.

“He demands a lot, but he also wants a second opinion,” Pastore said. “I am very happy to work with him. He has taken an important step in his career, changed teams by going to Manchester City and is one of the most important players in the Argentina national team.”

Pastore says the central challenge for agents is finding the right environment for a player’s talent to develop without being rushed. That means examining the manager’s system, the club’s culture, competition for places and its long-term plan.

“Providing clarity, protection and sound strategic direction is the hardest and most rewarding part of the job,” he said.

AS Monaco have begun discussions with Vanderson over a new contract after the Brazilian defender made an impressive start to the 2026-27 season.

L’Equipe reports that the Ligue 1 club have contacted the 25-year-old’s representatives as they look to secure his long-term future. Monaco are also seeking to plan for the continued development of promising striker Paris Brunner.

Vanderson’s current agreement runs until 2028, but the club are keen to reward his improved performances and retain him beyond the terms of that deal.

The defender joined Monaco in 2022 and has experienced an inconsistent spell at the club, with recurring injuries affecting his progress.

His form was particularly uneven last season. Vanderson made 23 appearances during the 2025-26 campaign and recorded two assists.

He has made a strong return this term, however, starting all seven of Monaco’s matches across competitions. His run of appearances has prompted the club to open negotiations over an extension.

AS Monaco have started discussions with Paris Brunner’s representatives over a contract extension after the striker’s impressive beginning to the Ligue 1 season.

The 20-year-old is already under contract with the club until 2028, but Monaco are keen to improve his terms and secure his long-term future, according to L’Equipe.

Brunner has made a strong impact since the campaign began, scoring six goals in seven appearances across all competitions. His form has established him as one of Monaco’s leading performers and has attracted interest from abroad.

Borussia Dortmund, Brunner’s former club, are among those monitoring his situation. The Bundesliga side retain a contractual option to match any offer Monaco receive for the striker.

That agreement does not, however, give Dortmund priority in negotiations or guarantee that Brunner would return to Germany.

If Dortmund decide to try to re-sign him, they would still have to agree a deal with Monaco and persuade Brunner that a return is what he wants.

Monaco’s contract talks are intended to recognise the forward’s early-season performances while protecting the club’s position as interest in him grows.

Olivier Giroud has admitted he is nearing the end of his playing career, saying the current season is “probably” his last.

The 39-year-old is now back in Ligue 1 with Lille, where he is competing for a place in the team just days before his 40th birthday.

Speaking to reporters this week, Giroud indicated that his time with the French club could become the final chapter of a career that has included success at the highest level of domestic and international football.

“This season is probably my last, and that's why I enjoy every moment,” he said.

“I am at peace with myself and with everything I have achieved in my career, and I feel more comfortable than ever.”

Giroud began his career in France’s lower divisions before establishing himself in Ligue 2. He moved to Montpellier and scored 21 Ligue 1 goals during the 2011-12 season, finishing as the division’s leading scorer.

Two years later, the striker joined Arsenal, where he spent six years as an important part of Arsene Wenger’s attack. During his time at the club, he won three FA Cups before moving across London to join Chelsea.

Giroud added the Europa League and Champions League to his list of honours with Chelsea, continuing a career that has also included Premier League success, a World Cup triumph and major achievements with France.

He later played for clubs including AC Milan and Los Angeles before returning to France with Lille.

The forward’s rise from the lower divisions to the top of European football has made him one of the most accomplished players of his generation. He became France’s all-time leading goalscorer and is also listed as the country’s second all-time top scorer.

Giroud has also won the Puskas Award, further recognition of a career that has taken him from domestic football in France to the Premier League, Champions League and World Cup.

As he considers retirement, his possible departure would bring an end to a career that has seen him represent Montpellier, Arsenal, Chelsea, AC Milan, Los Angeles and Lille.

His contribution is expected to be remembered across the clubs he has played for as he approaches what could be his final season as a professional footballer.

Marseille defender Derek Cornelius is expected to be out for about three months after sustaining a hip injury while representing Canada on international duty.

The 28-year-old will not need surgery, according to L’Equipe, but is unlikely to play again in 2027.

Cornelius suffered the injury during a training session in Toronto on Wednesday. It was a non-contact lower-body problem and he was taken to hospital for assessment.

The Canada international returned to Marseille this summer after spending last season on loan at Rangers. He has made only limited appearances for the French club this season, playing 26 minutes in Ligue 1 and 67 minutes in the Europa League.

Cornelius started Marseille’s Europa League match against Besiktas and had appeared likely to provide a rotation option for Bruno Genesio’s squad.

His absence leaves Marseille without the defender for an extended period, although he will not require an operation as he begins his recovery.

A French court has upheld the decision for Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi to stand trial over an alleged rape, a judicial source told AFP.

Hakimi, 27, had challenged the order that he face a criminal court in the Hauts-de-Seine department. His appeal to the Court of Cassation, France’s highest court for civil and criminal matters, was his final legal avenue.

The Court of Cassation confirmed the decision on Wednesday. It follows a ruling by the Versailles appeals court on 19 June, during the World Cup, which determined that Hakimi should stand trial over the alleged rape of a woman in 2023.

Hakimi has repeatedly denied the accusation.

He was initially ordered to appear before the criminal court in February. He contested that decision before the appeals court and then took the case to the Court of Cassation after the Versailles court upheld the order in June.

Hakimi’s lawyer, Fanny Colin, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from AFP on Wednesday.

The lawyer representing the plaintiff, Rachel-Flore Pardo, said her client remained determined to pursue the case.

“After three and a half years of legal battles, after being slandered and dragged through the mud by Achraf Hakimi's defence, my client is determined to obtain justice; she will fight to the very end,” Pardo said in a statement sent to AFP.

The allegations date back to February 2023, when a woman who was then 24 told police in the Val-de-Marne region, south-east of Paris, that Hakimi had raped her.

According to a police source at the time, the woman said she had first met Hakimi on Instagram in January 2023 before travelling by taxi to his home. The taxi had been ordered by the player.

She alleged that Hakimi kissed her, touched her without consent and then raped her. She told police she was able to push him away before sending a text message to a friend, who came to collect her.

Hakimi was charged with rape several days later.

The nature of Denis Zakaria’s injury has been confirmed after the AS Monaco captain pulled out of Switzerland’s squad for the international break.

The 29-year-old midfielder was replaced in the 76th minute of Monaco’s 2-1 Ligue 1 win over RC Lens on Friday, with academy graduate Pape Cabral coming on in his place.

Zakaria acknowledged after the match that a physical problem had led to his substitution, but played down concerns by saying: “But it’s okay.”

However, L’Equipe reports that the former Juventus and Chelsea player had been experiencing adductor pain for several days before the match. The problem was aggravated during the victory over Lens.

Zakaria will stay at Monaco’s training base in La Turbie during the international break while he works on his recovery.

He will be hoping to return to full fitness for Monaco’s Ligue 1 fixture against Toulouse FC on October 10.

Bruno Genesio has rejected suggestions that he could resign as manager of Olympique Marseille after the club’s worst start in their history.

Marseille’s 2-1 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday’s Classique was their fifth loss in six matches. Their fourth Ligue 1 defeat in five games also left them in the relegation zone as the international break began.

Genesio’s position had come under increased scrutiny after several media outlets reported that the veteran manager might step down.

“There isn’t any idea of resigning, no,” Genesio said.

Marseille are 17th in Ligue 1, a position that contrasts sharply with the club’s usual ambitions.

“At Marseille, we are used to playing at the top of the table,” Genesio added. “That is why I’m trying to sound the alarm when we’re talking about ‘honourable’ defeats.”

The club’s poor run has followed a difficult summer in financial terms. Marseille sold several key players to balance their books and meet the requirements of UEFA and the DNCG.

Those departures have left Genesio with a squad that is significantly weaker in both quality and depth, making it harder for the manager to respond to the team’s disappointing results.

Marseille could be without Igor Paixao for a period after the Brazilian winger was injured during Sunday’s 2-1 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain in the Classique.

The 26-year-old was taken off before half-time at the Velodrome, with Angel Gomes coming on in his place.

Marseille head coach Bruno Genesio said the club was still waiting for further information, although the injury appeared to involve Paixao’s ankle.

“I’ve not yet had an update, but it looks like it is (a problem with) his ankle,” Genesio told the media after the match.

The injury is another concern for Marseille following their defeat by Paris Saint-Germain, particularly because Paixao has become an important player for the club.

The winger had been linked with a move away from Marseille during the final stages of the summer transfer window. Sunderland were among the clubs reported to be interested in signing him.

However, Marseille’s ownership decided to keep the Brazil international after Genesio and chief executive Stephane Richard argued in favour of retaining him.

With several high-profile players having left and only limited recruitment completed, Paixao had emerged as one of the key figures in Genesio’s squad.

His potential absence would therefore leave the Marseille head coach facing an additional selection issue as the club assesses the extent of the ankle problem.