French clubs cash in as Ligue 1 transfer window comes to a close
Champions Paris Saint-Germain were the most active of the top-flight outfits.
Following a successful defence of both their Ligue 1 and Champions League titles, they sold €280 million worth of talent, including France international strikers Bradley Barcola and Randal Kolo Muani, Portugal forward Gonçalo Ramos and South Korea midfielder Kang-in Lee.
For a total of €152 million, PSG brought in Maghnes Akliouche from Ligue 1 rivals Monaco, as well as Barcelona forward Ferran Torres, who scored the winner for Spain in the World Cup final against Argentina.
Barcola left PSG three years after joining the club from Lyon, where he rose through the academy to the first team.
During his time at PSG, Barcola won 13 trophies, including three Ligue 1 crowns and two Champions League titles. He also broke into the France national squad.
'Passion of Liverpool fans'
"Honestly, it's the passion of the fans," Barcola told the Liverpool website of his decision to join the Merseyside giants.
"I had the chance to play twice at Anfield and I saw the atmosphere and how the fans were behind the Liverpool players.
"When I knew about Liverpool's interest in me, I didn't ask questions and I knew it was a very big club for me."
Paris FC emerged from the transfer window as the second-biggest spenders.
Majority-owned by the family of French tycoon Bernard Arnault, the club spent €80 million bringing in six players, including defenders Diego Coppola and Yoan Koré from Brighton and Amiens respectively.
Lens falter at Brest to hand Ligue 1 advantage to PSG
Lens, who won the Coupe de France and finished second behind PSG, forked out €24 million on 10 new signings and sold star midfielder Mamadou Sangaré to English Premier League outfit Brentford for a club-record €48 million, a year after drafting him in from Rapid Vienna for €8 million.
Argentina international Facundo Medina, who was on loan last season at Marseille, has also departed for €18 million.
Players can still leave French clubs while the transfer window remains open in other countries.
The window also shuts in England, Spain, Germany and Italy on Tuesday evening, but remains open in the Netherlands until 2 September and in Belgium until 3 September.
Clubs will be able to sell players to Saudi Arabian outfits until 12 October.