‘Get out!’ – Jérôme Rothen calls for City Group to leave France as Troyes’ Savio nears Manchester City switch | OneFootball

Savio (19) looks like he will join Manchester City in the summer from ESTAC Troyes in a move that has brought intense criticism, as the young forward has yet to play a game for Les Bleus et Blancs despite becoming their record signing in 2022.

Troyes are part of City Football Group’s multi-club ownership model which despite funding the signing of the forward, has also meant that the player has been constantly transplanted away from his ‘parent’ club.

In his first season as a Troyes player, he was loaned to PSV, while this season he has been shipped out to CFG sister club Girona FC. All the while their record signing was away, Troyes were relegated from Ligue 1 and now sit in 15th place on the cusp of consecutive demotions.

The pertinent question on the lips of Troyes fans is what exactly does Troyes get out of this situation? The supposed benefit of being part of a multi-club model is that talent that they would otherwise not be able to acquire would suddenly be accessible, but if that talent is bought and then loaned out to other clubs while the ‘parent’ suffers, then what exactly is the point of the relationship?

These are the questions that have been forcefully voiced by former Troyes player Jérôme Rothen as he spoke on his radio programme Rothen s’enflamme.

‘With Savio we have passed a milestone’ – Jerome Rothen

The retired Paris Saint-Germain and AS Monaco player was indignant when discussing Troyes who he represented from 2000 until 2002. “They perhaps think that because it’s Troyes, we’re not going to be vigilant. I find that problematic.”

Rothen continued, “I just want to tell them, ‘Get out! French football doesn’t need you!’ I’m not scared to say it, we don’t need them.” He expanded on the point stating, “they sold us the idea of a club that should have established itself in Ligue 1, as things stand they’re right at the bottom of Ligue 2.”

On Savio, the former Troyes man was furious at how the player could have been used to help the squad in a difficult season that has already seen three managers take charge of the club. “He is a quality player who could have contributed things in Troyes… It makes me angry. Through this player, everything is summed up. They are using this club as a springboard for certain players.”

Rothen ended with a call for action from Troyes supporters, “with Savio, we have passed a milestone, we must denounce it… And if the protests are not enough, then we no longer go to the stadium, leave them in their sh*t, we’ll make them understand that they have to leave.”

GFFN | Nick Hartland