“If Andy Delort had been free, I would have taken him straight away,” reveals MHSC president Laurent Nicollin

Laurent Nicollin does not want to “rehash” the stormy departure of Andy Delort in August 2021. Free Midi – RICHARD DE HULLESSEN

Released by his Qatari club Umm Salal at the beginning of February, the former La Paillade scorer could have returned to Montpellier this winter, confided Laurent Nicollin during an interview with Midi Libre to be published this Friday March 29. And the idea of ​​a return has not been abandoned.

Will come back, will not come back. Despite the stubborn resentment of some of the Montpellier supporters, who felt betrayed when he left in August 2021, the file for the return of Andy Delort (32) to the MHSC has become a snake Already mentioned at the time of his loan from Nice to Nantes in January 2023, then last summer, the hypothesis grew again this winter. When the striker was released by his Qatari club Umm Salal, his “come-back” at La Paillade could have come to fruition, reveals Laurent Nicollin.

"When he broke his contract with the Qatari club, he called me, confides the Hérault president. If Andy had terminated within the legal dates (before January 31) and if he had been free, I would have taken him straight away. For a contract of six months or a year and a half."

Not free from any contract

"But as he always does everything well, he did not cancel before January 31. And in any case, there is a transfer if we want to get the player back", smiles Nicollin, putting his finger on a contractual situation that is more complex than it’s appears.

"He left Qatar because he had family problems that only he can talk about. He reached an agreement with the club, but we still have to “helmet” to engage him, he explains. It is therefore not the same situation between a free player or under contract."

"We'll see each other soon"

The price for retaining the services of Andy Delort would be estimated at 2 million euros. "I'm waiting to hear the truth. We're going to meet up with Andy soon to eat and chat", breathes Laurent Nicollin, not holding a grudge. "Like I told him, his biggest mistake was leaving. But we're not going to rehash", he insists.

It's Andy, someone I like because he's endearing.

When he left, in the last days of the 2021 summer transfer window, Andy Delort left behind the MHSC, the captain's armband and a status as an emblematic player shaped over three seasons (106 matches, 47 goals) at La Paillade. "We lost someone who was in the spirit, who had the club spirit. Despite all his faults, as a man or a player, he had three exceptional years with us", continues Laurent Nicollin who never broke the link with his ex-striker despite the departure to Nice of the man he came to pick up from TFC, then in a situation of failure, in 2018. "It’s Andy, someone ;rsquo;one that I like because he is endearing. By saying that, I'm going to get yelled at by my wife".