The end of the summer transfer window is always a flurry of activity, and 2019 was no exception, with big names arriving in Ligue 1 Conforama while others left to pursue their dreams elsewhere…

 Paris Saint-Germain: Icardi follows Navas

With just one hour to go before the end of the 2019 summer transfer window, Paris Saint-Germain clinched the services of a world-class striker. Mauro Icardi, 26 has signed on to join Paris Saint-Germain and Ligue 1 Conforama on a season-long loan (with option to buy) from Inter Milan. The Argentine international (eight caps, one goal) has been racking up the goals in northern Italy for the last six seasons: 124, to be precise, also with 28 assists, in 219 appearances. He top scored in the Serie A on two occasions (2015 and 2018), as a certain Edinson Cavani did before him.

"I thank Paris Saint-Germain for the confidence shown in me," said Mauro Icardi, who will wear the number 18 jersey, after signing his contract. "I will be committed to giving everything to help my new team go as far as possible in all competitions. The performance dynamic is very strong in Paris, the ambitions are very high and I am sure that all the conditions are there to go even higher. And I look forward to discovering the Parc des Princes, a stadium renowned for its beauty and atmosphere!"

For keeps

After announcing on Sunday the arrival of Sergio Rico on loan with an option to purchase, Paris Saint-Germain brought in another La Liga goalkeeper: Keylor Navas. The new Parisian, 32, signed on a four-year deal from Real Madrid, where he has played more than 160 matches since 2014.

In the opposite direction, Alphonse Areola left his boyhood club for a loan -with no option to buy - to Real Madrid. At 26 years of age, the French international remains linked to Paris Saint-Germain through to 2023. The world champion 'keeper thus begins his second La Liga adventure after spending season 2015-16  on loan with Villarreal.

Stade Rennais FC: Double swoop!

Jonas Martin left RC Strasbourg Alsace - where he was club captain - for Stade Rennais FC. The freshly minted Breton midfielder, who started for Racing in their first three matches of the campaign - including the 2-0 home defeat to his new club in Week 3, is now at his fourth French club, after Montpellier and Amiens SC. In total, Martin has notched 169 games in France's top flight (13 goals).

Raphinha (Raphael Dias Belloli) is also headed to Stade Rennais on a five-year deal. The 22-year-old Brazilian winger arrives from Sporting Portugal, where he has scored twice in four appearances this season in Liga NOS. He made his name at Guimaraes, where he scored a career-best 15 goals in 32 matches in season 2017-18. He bagged four goals in 24 matches last campaign and also scored his first goal on the European stage with Sporting in the Europa League (four matches) and a victory in the Portuguese Cup. At Rennes, this right-winger, who will wear the number 7, is tipped to be a worthy replacement for Ismaïla Sarr, who left for the Premier League.

RC Strasbourg Alsace did not have to look very far to find Jonas Martin's replacement. Already brought in on loan over the last six months of the 2018-19 season to compensate for Martin's injury, Sanjin Prcic has made a definitive commitment to the Alsatian club. After a successful comeback with RCSA (two goals and two assists in 13 games), the 25-year-old Franco-Bosnian leaves Levante for a three-year contract in Strasbourg, where he will keep his number 14.

While Stade de Reims has retained one of its best players, the coveted Rémi Oudin, the Champagne club's fans were treated to a dealine-day treat: the arrival of a new striker. Indeed, Anastasios Donis will return to Ligue 1 Conforama in a Reims jersey three years after his loan from Juventus to OGC Nice. Able to play through the middle or out wide, the Greek international (nine caps, one goal) is on loan from VfB Stuttgart with an option to buy, "which will become an automatic transfer of 4 seasons if the club is kept in Ligue 1 Conforama", according to the club. During his season at the OGCN, which ended in an impressive third-place finish, the Greek striker took part in 18 games, notching five goals and one assist.

 Dijon FCO:  cuts the mustard!

Talented winger Mounir Chouiar has signed a three-year (plus an option for another) with Dijon, and is now set to make his Ligue 1 Conforama. The 20-year-old played all 38 Domino's Ligue 2 matches with boyhood club RC Lens last season and the France youth international had already racked up two goals and an assist in two matches for Les Sang et Or in the current campaign before inking his switch to Burgundy.

"His profile is quite similar to Wesley Saïd's, with a technical background of the same level," said Sébastien Larcier, DFCO's head of recruitment. "He is a player who is comfortable with both feet and can play as an attacking midfielder on one side or in the centre. He has the ability to bring others into play as well, while being very strong one-on-one."

 FC Nantes: Ludovic Blas joins Les Canaris!

Ludovic Blas, 21, who proved decisive for Guingamp in their Domino's Ligue 2 derby with Lorient at the weekend, made the switch to FC Nantes on Monday. The France U20 midfielder joins former Guingamp teammate Marcus Coco at Nantes as he returns to Ligue 1 Conforama, where he has a record of six goals in 103 matches.

 Stade Brestois 29: Duverne arrives

Stade Brestois Stadium announced on Monday evening that they had signed defender Jean-Kévin Duverne. A product of the renowned RC Lens youth academy, Duverne, 22, has signed a four-year deal with the Brittany club that should see him make his Ligue 1 Conforama debut in the not-too-distant future.  

 OGC Nice: , a new Fennec for Les Aiglons

A few days after Adam Ounas signed, another reigning African Cup of Nations champion joined OGC Nice: Hicham Boudaoui. The 19-year-old midfielder arrives from Paradou AC in Algiers, a club for whom OGCN teammate and fellow African champion Youcef Atal used to ply his trade. After Khephren Thuram, Kasper Dolberg, Alexis Claude-Maurice, Adam Ounas and Stanley Nsoki, Boudaoui is the sixth recruit for Nice, who had an extremely busy end to the transfer window following the completion of the INEOS take-over late last week.

 OM: Agreement with Fener for Luiz Gustavo

Olympique de Marseille and Turkish club Fenerbahce have reached an agreement to transfer midfielder Luiz Gustavo, OM president Jacques-Henri Eyraud confirmed on Sunday.

"We have reached an agreement with the club," announced the Marseille president in the mixed zone after the victory against Saint-Etienne (1-0). "Gustavo really asked me to leave. It's hard to keep a player who wants to go somewhere else. But I think he wanted to have another experience. He is in Turkey now and it's likely he will start with Fenerbahce in the next few days."

On Monday, the Brazilian signed for four years with the Turkish club. Luiz Gustavo has played for OM for two seasons (98 games).

 AS Monaco: Falcao calls time, Isidor on loan

Colombian superstar Radamel Falcao, 33, left AS Monaco to join Galatasaray after a six-season stay in the principality. El Tigre racked up an impressive 65 goals in 108 league appearances during that time, notably claiming the Ligue 1 Conforama title in 2017-18.  

Meanwhile AS Monaco's France U19 striker Wilson Isidor, 19, has been loaned to Laval (National 1) for one season with no option to buy, the Principality club announced on Monday.