Football Season Guide

Grenoble enjoyed a very solid return to Ligue 2 last season and are seeking to build upon that basis in the coming campaign. Although they saw a number of club stalwarts depart in the summer, including striker Nicolas Belvito and centre-back Selim Bengriba, they largely managed to restrict the number of key players to depart. Romain Grange’s loan expired and Florian Sotoca did go to join Ligue 2 rivals Lens, a blow to the attack, while Ryan Sanusi went to Beerschot in Belgium, but the damage has been relatively limited overall, allowing head coach Philippe Hinschberger to put together his full squad relatively early in the day. The club have looked abroad for many of their key signings, though they did plunder Valenciennes for attacker Florian Raspentino, a player capable of hitting double figures in goals with a fair wind behind him. Moussa Djitte will provide competition in attack after arriving from Sion in Switzerland, but it is primarily in the wide areas that they have strengthened, adding Terell Ondaan and Kristofer Kristinsson from Dutch football. Willy Semedo, meanwhile, has arrived from Poli Iasi in Greece. Charles Pickel has arrived from Grasshopper as Sanusi’s replacement, with the coach hopeful that he will get more defensive aggression from the 22-year-old with the same level of technical quality. If he can stay fit, that would be a further bonus as Sanusi spent a fair portion of last term laid up. Jessy Benet, meanwhile, missed much of last season injured after being Grenoble’s best player early on, so to have him back and partnering Youssouf M’Changama in the heart of the field is encouraging. Although Grenoble might be lacking the absolute quality of the league’s top teams, they appear to have greater strength in depth than many of their rivals – though perhaps not in the defence, particularly the wide areas. Meanwhile, they have a coach in charge who has been a success in Ligue 2 previously.