Football
Exclusive: Dunkerque Star Enzo Bardeli Set to Leave on a Free as Ligue 1 and Championship Clubs Circle
Dunkerque's star player Enzo Bardeli is set to leave the club for free, with several Ligue 1 and Championship clubs vying for his signature. The in-demand midfielder is looking for a new challenge after impressive performances, attracting interest from top-tier clubs in France and abroad.
Stade de Reims v USL Dunkerque - Ligue 2 BKT 2025/2026 by FEP | Getty Images
Dunkerque are braced to lose star man Enzo Bardeli for free this summer, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
The in-form playmaker is out of contract at the Ligue 2 club next summer and our sources have been told he wants to weigh up his options before any potential extension at the club.
Bardeli, 24, was on the radar of Sunderland last year ahead of their promotion to the Premier League after being voted Dunkerque’s Player of the Season.
And the player believes he could find a decent deal elsewhere with a number of clubs chasing his signature.
A number of sides want him to stay in France with Toulouse, Rennes, FC Nantes and St Etienne ready to offer him an attractive jump to Ligue 1 and have sent scouts to watch him impress this season.
It is also understood that a trio of unnamed Championship clubs are also keeping tabs on the player after seeing the success of Sunderland’s recruitment this season.
Our sources have been told at least one second-tier club have watched him in action this season.
Hometown Hero
Bardeli returned to his hometown club after a decade in Lille’s academy in 2021 and has been one of their key players over the past three seasons.
Touted as one of the most complete midfielders in the French second tier, Bardeli is after a tougher test of his abilities.
Last season, he was ranked among Europe’s best in terms of key passes.
In terms of output, he has got better and better with each passing campaign.
Last term, he scored six goals and created five assists and already this season he has already matched his goal tally and provided four assists.
Shane is an experienced sports journalist with over a decade on the front line, covering everything from football to horse racing. A familiar face in the snooker pressroom, his work regularly appears in the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, and Daily Star, alongside SportsBoom.
While snooker is where many readers know him best, cricket is his true sporting passion, though he tends to keep that side of him separate from his professional beat.
A staunch traditionalist, he’s unlikely to share your enthusiasm if you believe The Hundred is the future of Test cricket.