On Monday, OGC Nice announced the arrival of a celebrated midfielder in the person of Aaron Ramsey. The 31-year-old Welshman arrives on loan from Juventus, who had loaned him to Glasgow Rangers for the last six months of the 2021-22 season. He played for the Scottish club in the Europa League final a few weeks ago. A product of the Cardiff City academy, Ramsey burst onto the scene at Arsenal, where he played for almost ten years. He won three FA Cups with the Gunners and was also Italian champion with La Vecchia Signora in 2020.

Earlier in the day, OGC Nice had announced the arrival of another promising midfielder in Alexis Beka Beka. A product of the SM Caen academy, the 21-year-old midfielder played for Lokomotiv Moscow last season, making 28 appearances in total. Last summer he played for the French Olympic team in Tokyo.

Rodon reinforces Rennes

Rather surprisingly, Ramsey wasn't the only Welshman to sign for a Ligue 1 Uber Eats club on Monday - international defender Joe Rodon, 24, also landed in France - Stade Rennais FC to be more precise - signing a one-year loan deal from Tottenham (with option to buy).

"We needed two central defenders following the injury to Warmed Omari. Joe comes from a top club in England. He will bring us his experience, even though he didn't play every game last season. He has played in European, as we saw at Roazhon Park", explained Rennes' technical director Florian Maurice. "He is a real central defender who likes to defend; he has this aggressive side that we need in order for us to even more efficient defensively. He is an international, a starter with Wales and will certainly be called upon to play in the World Cup in November."

Weekend wrap: Ito to Reims, Dari to Brest

Meanwhile, on the weekend, Stade de Reims landed a coup by signing Japanese international Junya Ito through to 2026. The 29-year-old striker is coming off three-and-a-half good seasons at Genk, with whom he won the league and the Belgian Cup. In 144 games with Genk, he scored 29 goals and made just under 50 assists. Junya Ito also has 36 caps for the Japanese national team, where he got his start thanks to Ligue 1 Uber Eats habitué Vahid Halilhodzic.

Stade Brestois 29 have also recruited, in defence. The powerful Achraf Dari has signed a four-year deal with the Breton club. At 23, he leaves the club whose academy he came up through, Wydad Casablanca. A three-time Moroccan champion and winner of the last CAF Champions League, the central defender started with the Moroccan national team last December and celebrated his second cap during the international week in June.

>> TRANSFERS: All the summer moves

(Photo: OGCN)