At its closest point, France is just 20 miles from the UK, so it doesn’t come as any great surprise that a fair few British footballers have gone to ply their club trade over there.
Here, we’ve picked out some of the most notable examples of those to make that particular move.
Players from all four of the home nations get a mention – let’s get stuck in!
Clive Allen
One-time wonderkid Clive Allen had a prolific spell with Bordeaux from 1988 to 1989, scoring 13 goals in 19 Ligue 1 outings.
The 1987 PFA Players’ Player of the Year and five-cap England international joined the multiple French champions from Tottenham in March 1988, and briefly featured alongside a young Eric Cantona.
Ross Barkley
After leaving Chelsea by mutual consent in the summer of 2022, Ross Barkley joined Nice for his first spell abroad.
The former Everton midfielder made 28 appearances for Le Gym in all competitions, finding the net four times in his only season there, before returning to England to sign for Luton.
Joey Barton
Having been handed a 12-match ban for elbowing Carlos Tevez then kicking Sergio Aguero in QPR’s final game of the 2011/12 Premier League campaign at Manchester City, Joey Barton was loaned out to Marseille for the 2012/13 season.
Initially only able to play in the Europa League due to his suspension, he went on to feature 33 times – and got himself banned again, this time for abusing PSG’s Thiago Silva on Twitter...
Eric Black
A key member of Alex Ferguson’s hugely successful Aberdeen side, with whom his numerous honours included the 1982/83 Cup Winners’ Cup, Eric Black finished his career with Metz.
The Scottish striker scored in the final as Metz won the 1986/87 Coupe de France but was ultimately forced to retire aged just 28 because of a chronic back issue.
Joe Cole
One of England’s most technically gifted players, Joe Cole spent the 2011/12 season on loan at Lille amid his disappointing stint with Liverpool.
The ex-Chelsea and West Ham star scored nine goals in 43 games for the side from the north of France, where his teammates included Eden Hazard and Dimitri Payet.
John Collins
A key player for Scotland during the 90s, midfielder John Collins left Celtic in the summer of 1996 and joined Monaco on a free transfer.
In his first season with Les Rouge et Blanc, Collins won the French title; in his second, he helped them beat Manchester United to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Angel Gomes
Born in London, Angel Gomes came through the youth ranks at Manchester United and made his professional debut with the Red Devils.
The versatile midfielder really established himself across the Channel, however, joining Lille in 2020 and passing the 100-appearance mark for the club in 2024 – when he also earned his first England caps.
Etienne Green
Nominative determinism at its finest, this. Goalkeeper Etienne Green was born in Essex but grew up in France, where he graduated from the youth system of – you guessed it – Saint Etienne (who play in green, too!).
After making 37 appearances across the top two tiers of French football, Green moved to Burnley ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Mark Hateley
Mark Hateley had already played abroad for Milan, but he found most success with Monaco, who he joined from the Rossoneri in 1987.
The 32-cap England centre-forward scored 14 league goals at an average of one every other game as Les Rouge et Blanc won the French title in his first season at the club.
Michael Hughes
Northern Ireland attacking midfielder Michael Hughes swapped Manchester City for Strasbourg in the summer of 1992.
He went on to make 83 appearances in the French top flight for Les Bleu et Blanc, helping them to an eighth-placed league finish in 1992/93, before returning to English football with West Ham.
Glenn Hoddle
England great Glenn Hoddle starred for Monaco from 1987 to 1991, featuring throughout their 1987/88 title-winning season.
The mesmerising midfielder, who had spent the first 11 years of his career earning legendary status at Tottenham, scored 30 goals for Les Rouge et Blanc – 20 of which came in the 1988/89 campaign.
Mo Johnston
Before triggering a right old furore by signing for Rangers in one of the most controversial transfer moves of all time, ex-Celtic forward Mo Johnston had a two-year spell at Nantes from 1987 to 1989.
The 38-cap Scotland international scored steadily for La Maison Jeune, with whom he recorded Ligue 1 finishes of 10th and seventh.
Aaron Ramsey
A free agent following his departure from Juventus, Welsh legend Aaron Ramsey arrived at Nice prior to the 2022/23 season.
The former Arsenal man featured 34 times during his sole campaign with Le Gym, playing in the same midfield as fellow Brit Ross Barkley, and scored one goal. He returned to boyhood club Cardiff City in July 2023.
Trevor Steven
An integral part of Everton’s success in the 80s, England winger Trevor Steven moved from Rangers to Marseille for £5.5m in 1991, equalling the transfer record for a British player.
He ended up spending just the one season in France, but he did collect a Ligue 1 winner’s medal at the end of it.
Chris Waddle
One of England’s most successful exports, Chris Waddle won three straight Ligue 1 titles with Marseille.
Having arrived from Tottenham for £4.5m in 1989, the mullet-sporting maestro cemented his standing as one of the finest attacking players in Europe and went on to make just shy of 150 appearances for Les Phocéens.
Ray Wilkins
The second of Ray Wilkins’ two stints on the continent was a brief one at PSG, who he joined from Milan in 1987.
A fine midfielder for Chelsea, Manchester United and England – for whom he earned 84 caps – Wilkins featured 13 times for Les Parisiens before heading back to the UK to sign for Rangers.
