Le Mans FC has strengthened its investor group with two high-profile former footballers. Idrissa Gana Gueye and Lucas Leiva have joined the Sarthe club's project alongside OutField this week.
President Pedro Oliveira approved these additions. The club is not actively seeking investors but seizes strategic opportunities. These profiles are intended to support the club's identity and roots while helping to build a sustainable sports project.
Idrissa Gana Gueye, 36, stated his commitment. "I am proud to join the Le Mans FC project as an investor," he said. "The club has a strong identity, real ambition and a clear commitment to talent development." The Senegalese midfielder, currently at Al-Diriyah, has played for PSG, Everton and Lille. He participated in the 2026 World Cup and launched his own academy, For Hope Campus, in Senegal.
Lucas Leiva, 39, retired from playing in 2023. The former Liverpool and Lazio midfielder knows Pedro Oliveira personally. "I am very proud to join Le Mans FC alongside OutField and to be part of this new chapter for the club," he said. The Brazilian, who earned 23 caps, made over 300 appearances for Liverpool and more than 200 for Lazio.
This move aims to strengthen Le Mans FC's ties with Africa, particularly Senegal, and with Brazil. The club already has two Senegalese players in its squad this season, Dame Gueye and Habib Diallo, who arrived this summer. Two young Brazilians, Enzo Vagner and Joao Almeida, both 20, are also on loan from Coritiba, although they have yet to play a Ligue 1 match.
On the pitch, Patrick Videira's team sits 9th in Ligue 1 with 6 points from five games. Their record is one win, three draws and one defeat, which represents solid recent form. The last outing, a 2-1 win over Lorient on September 19, featured goals from Adil Bourabaa and Habib Diallo. The top scorer this season is Adil Bourabaa with three goals. The next fixture is an away trip to face Paris Saint-Germain, who are sixth in the table, on October 10.
Three Le Mans FC players were called up by their national teams during the international break. The club is looking to consolidate its place in the top flight and extend its influence beyond its local territory. The arrival of Gueye and Leiva as investors is part of this long-term strategy for player recruitment and development, a strategy informed by precise data available in our stats and squad sections. The ticket office and shop at the La Pincenardière stadium are currently closed.
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