source: a.s.monaco.free.fr

For longer than I can remember France's Ligue 1 has been little more than a breeding ground. The best talent has been magnetically pulled away, towards the pounds and euros available in England, Spain and Italy.

But all that could change as the french government looks set to lift a ban on clubs floating their shares on the stock exchange, allowing the likes of Lyon, Marseille, Monaco et al to raise some much needed cash.

All good news if you follow Ligue 1. Even better, the government will likely mandate that clubs must maintain ownership of certain aspects of the club, such as the stadium. This should help avoid French clubs finding themselves in the same situation as Manchester United did, where the entire club was basically up for sale.