Andy Pelmard set for free transfer from Clermont Foot

Andy Pelmard’s time at Clermont Foot looks set to end not on the pitch, but in the accounts department.

The 26-year-old defender, a Madagascar international and former France youth prospect up to U21 level, could walk away on a free transfer in January, with Clermont struggling to shoulder his wages, according to Sacha Tavolieri.

Under contract only until the end of the season, Pelmard has barely featured in Ligue 2 this campaign, making just two appearances. For a player who arrived in the summer of 2023 with solid pedigree and experience across several European leagues, it is a stark comedown.

His career path tells a different story to his current situation. Formed at OGC Nice, Pelmard was once earmarked as a long-term option in Ligue 1 before embarking on a series of moves that took him to Lecce, UD Las Palmas and most recently Jagiellonia. He returned from Poland in the summer, hoping to relaunch himself in Auvergne.

There were even whispers of a romantic return to Nice earlier this season. That door seems to have closed, but another has opened: Clermont are ready to let him go for nothing.

The turning point came in recent talks with the club’s sporting director. Pelmard was told bluntly that his salary had become too heavy a burden for a club now operating in Ligue 2 and wrestling with financial reality. The solution on the table was clear – a free transfer this winter, six months before his deal expires.

Pelmard agreed.

For Clermont, it is a pragmatic move. For the defender, it is a chance to reset his career once again. A free agent in January, still only 26, with top-flight experience in France and spells in Italy, Spain and Poland on his CV – there will be suitors.

The only question now is where this next chapter starts.