Chronicle Live spoke with Antoine Maumon de Longevialle, reporter at L'Equipe for an insight into Florent Ghisolfi's time with RC Lens and OGC Nice
Sunderland are expected to win the race to appoint Florent Ghisolfi(L) as the club's new director of football.
Sunderland are expected to win the race to appoint Florent Ghisolfi as the club's new director of football.
(Image: Riccardo De Luca/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Sunderland are yet to sanction an incoming signing this summer after sealing their return to the Premier League, but the Black Cats are closing in on a major appointment in regards to their recruitment department. The Black Cats look set to beat Newcastle United to the appointment of Florent Ghisolfi for the new role of director at football at the Stadium of Light.
The 40-year-old has built up a stellar portfolio during his previous roles as sporting director at RC Lens and OGC Nice, prior to move to AS Roma in the summer of 2024. Ghisolfi would spend just one season at the Italian club - where he'd sign Black Cats star Enzo Le Fee - before departing for new pastures this summer.
Although not yet confirmed, Sunderland are hoping to appoint Ghisolfi to a newly created role that will work alongside current sporting director, Kristjaan Speakman. The current transfer chief has built his own impressive reputation in overseeing the club's rise from League One to the Premier League in just four full seasons.
The Black Cats' recruitment policy has attracted plaudits from up and down the country, with all eyes on how the club adapt to life back in the top flight after eight years away. The Premier League is a different beast entirely to the one that chewed the club up and spat it out in the 2017 relegation, but so are Sunderland.
The proposed arrival of Ghisolfi is a major statement of intent from the Black Cats, bringing in the French transfer chief who has the "highest stock" in France at present. Having taken on the role as sporting director at RC Lens with the club in Ligue.2, Ghisolfi helped build the club into one that would qualify for the Champions League, before similarly impressive business at OGC Nice.
Antoine Maumon de Longevialle, reporter at L'Equipe, exclusively spoke to Chronicle Live about Ghisolfi's time in France and what Sunderland can expect should his move to Wearside be given the green light.
"Florent Ghisolfi has been a sporting director in three clubs, Lens, Nice and AS Roma," Maumon said. "The latter two clubs were playing in European competitions or fighting to qualify for European competitions.
"Lens - at the beginning of Ghisolfi's project - were not. The thing is, Lens was climbing from Ligue 2 and it's a historic club in France, of course. They were not fighting for European football at the time.
"With Ghisolfi, it became a great club in France fighting at the top of the table. He knows how to build a club, he showed that in Lens."
Florent Ghisolfi impressed during his time with French club Nice
Florent Ghisolfi impressed during his time with French club Nice(Image: (Photo by Anthony Dibon/Icon Sport via Getty Images))
Ghisolfi signed the likes of Seko Fofana and Jonathan Clauss at Lens, before similarly impressive moves for Jeremie Boga and Morgan Sanson at Nice. His ability to identify young talents, or ones that are under-appreciated in the market played a major role in his success.
"He hired players nobody knew, young players, hired Frank Haise who had never coached before Lens," Maumon added. "He was an assistant coach, a coach for young people, he was not a head coach. He had this feeling in Lens, he was able to build with a low budget and make them a big club.
"He did that in Lens, but of course, the opponents are not as big as the ones he will have to face in the Premier League, but he showed that he knew how to make a small club into a bigger club.
"He never played abroad as a player. His only experience abroad was with AS Roma and didn't speak Italian, or not so well so he had a lack of communication. I'm not sure if he speaks English to be able to communicate as well as he could in France.
"After his first experience abroad, he will have learned things. In Nice - Jeremie Boga was a success, Morgan Sanson but he was injured last season. In Lens, Seko Fofana was one of the best in Ligue 1 when he was there. He was outstanding. When he arrived he wasn't the same player."
Sunderland know they don't have the financial muscle to be able to compete with the majority of the Premier League, but the departures of Tommy Watson and Jobe Bellingham is a clear sign their recruitment model is working.
Now, they'll be tested in finding replacements, while also improving the squad. Something Ghisolfi has a proven track record in doing.