Nantes’ campaign was dominated by the untimely passing of striker Emiliano Sala, who had been sold to Cardiff when his plane crashed in the English Channel. The club remain locked in a legal dispute over the transfer fee, but it took them many weeks to regain their composure properly on the field.
Sala had been Nantes’ outstanding goal scorer in the first half of the season. They came into the campaign lacking a regular marksman but he defied expectations with a really efficient season in which he would have smashed his personal best goal tally. He played a big role in helping the club into a mid-table position after a dreadful start that saw head coach Miguel Cardoso rapidly sacked.
Under the Portuguese, Nantes dominated possession but had no direction in terms of their attacking focus, Vahid Halilhodzic came to the club and helped to change that as he played in a more direct style, which suited the Argentine frontman.
Nicolas Pallois was also recalled after being frozen out of the team under the Portuguese, with the centre-back once more an influential figure in the rearguard. This was an area of the team that had mixed reviews; Chelsea loanee Matt Miazga proved a very poor addition and was sent back to England early, while Diego Carlos had another solid season.
Lucas Lima did not impose himself at left-back while Fabio took a long time to settle at the club on the right. This unsettled campaign rather mirrored that of the team.
What stability they had was largely offered in the midfield, where Valentin Rongier was a consistently solid performer along with Abdoulaye Toure. They struggled to find regular partners as Rene Krhin spent much of the season injury and Andrei Girotto was prone to suspensions.
In the wide areas, summer signings Anthony Limbombe and Gabriel Boschilia were largely disappointing. The former, a big-money signing, produced only a goal and an assist, while the latter, on loan from Monaco after serious injury, failed to find anything like his best level.
Offensively, then, Nantes were forced to lean heavily upon Majeed Waris and Kalifa Coulibaly, who contributed well in the second half of the season. Youngster Samuel Moutossamy showed some promise at the end of the season, too.
With no clear indication who will be in charge next season, and the fans in open revolt against the board, it could be a turbulent summer for Nantes, who are set to lose key man Rongier.
