It Takes Deux: Ligue 1 McDonald’s most iconic double deals

Double deals during the transfer window are not a common sight in the modern game, let alone in French football and Ligue 1 McDonald's - which makes their occurrence all the reason to be recounted. There's something special about not just one, but two signings arriving at the same destination being announced at the same time.

Stade Rennais are the latest to have pulled this off this week, with the double announcement of the signings of Valentin Rongier and Quentin Merlin from Olympique de Marseille. This has got the Ligue 1 McDonald's editorial team racking their brains - what other notable double deals have been concluded in France's top tier over the years?

James Rodríguez & João Moutinho ➡ AS Monaco from Porto (2013)

It was a deal which changed everything for Ligue 1 McDonald's newcomers Monaco back in 2013, when FC Porto pair James Rodríguez and João Moutinho signed for the Principality side in a deal worth €70m in total. It was a huge statement of intent for the promoted side, who managed to win the league later that decade.

James dazzled for one season, leading Ligue 1 McDonald's in chances created before being sold to Real Madrid for €75m after a stunning World Cup campaign in Brazil. Moutinho, meanwhile, became a midfield mainstay for the rest of the 2010s, helping Monaco win the title in 2017 and reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.

Kader Keïta & Mathieu Bodmer ➡ Olympique Lyonnais from LOSC Lille (2007)

Jean-Michel Aulas and Olympique Lyonnais completed what was a huge double deal in the summer of 2007. Hoping to renew themselves after several years of domestic dominance, Keïta and Bodmer were signed for a fee around €24.5m. Keïta made a moderate impact with flashes of flair but overall inconsistent form and limited returns with five goals over two seasons at OL. Bodmer contributed more steadily—starting regularly in early seasons and scoring more frequently relative to his position.

Dilane Bakwa & Junior Mwanga ➡ Strasbourg from Bordeaux (2024)

July 2024 saw Racing Club de Strasbourg quietly pull-off a double deal for FC Girondins de Bordeaux pair Dilane Bakwa and Junior Mwanga. The two were close friends and youth products at Bordeaux, and Strasbourg negotiated a combined €10m package to bring them both to Alsace.

Ronaldinho & Vampeta ➡ Paris Saint-Germain from Grêmio / Corinthians (2001)

A classic hit-and-miss double deal. In 2001, PSG pulled off a bold double swoop by bringing in Ronaldinho from Grêmio and Vampeta from Corinthians in what was seen as a package deal orchestrated through club ownership ties in Brazil.

Both were Brazil internationals, and the duo arrived amid big hype - Ronaldinho as a teenage prodigy and Vampeta as a more experienced midfielder. One became one of the biggest stars of the 2000s and signed for Barcelona in 2003, whilst the other played just a handful of games before returning to Brazil.

Dimitri Payet & Florian Thauvin ➡ Olympique de Marseille from Lille (2013)

In the summer of 2013, Dimitri Payet and Florian Thauvin both signed for Olympique de Marseille from Lille, but despite being negotiated around the same time, they were not part of an official package deal. Payet joined the club in June for approximately €11 million before Thuavin followed in September for €15m after a tense stand-off with Lille.

While not a 'pure' double deal in structure, they went on to form a key creative partnership at OM across the rest of the 2010s. Payet became a talisman across two spells, recording 78 goals and 95 assists in 326 matches for the club.

Thauvin, meanwhile, scored 86 goals and provided 61 assists in 281 games, establishing himself as a consistent attacking threat and helping Marseille reach the 2018 UEFA Europa League final. Together, they formed one of the most productive duos in modern OM history.

Honourable mentions:

Because we can't get enough of tracing double deals in Ligue 1 McDonald's over the years, here is a list of some other honourable mentions. Here we just about include Olympique de Marseille's move for Roma trio Pau López, Jordan Veretout & Cengiz Ünder as a triple move.

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>>Mercato: Stade Rennais complete double-signing of Marseille's Rongier & Merlin