OGC Nice continues to structure its squad by integrating two players from its training center. Everton and Brad‑Hamilton Mantsounga have just signed their first professional contracts. Two different paths, but the same determination from the club: to maintain continuity despite a tense sporting and economic context.
Nice’s training academy remains a pillar of the red and black project. The signings of Everton and Brad‑Hamilton Mantsounga highlight this direction. Both players grew up in the club’s environment and progressed through internal stages before joining the professional squad.
Everton joined the Gym at the age of five. Son of Everson, a former midfielder recruited in 2002, the young player followed a linear path, marked by steady progression and constant commitment. This first professional contract at 18 years old validates work carried out over several seasons. The club emphasizes his consistent investment and the maturity he has shown since joining the academy.
Upon signing, the young midfielder expressed his gratitude. « This is a very important moment for me. Signing my first professional contract with OGC Nice is an immense honor. When you start playing football, we all dream of this moment. It is the culmination of many years of hard work. I want to thank the club for the confidence it shows in me today. I also thank all the coaches, staff and everyone who has supported me since my beginnings here. I also think a lot about my family and loved ones, who have always supported and encouraged me. »
This signing comes as the player has just suffered a training injury. The Gym maintains its confidence nonetheless and considers this step as a milestone in a journey still under construction. Everton recalled: « the fact that the club trusts me in this moment means a lot to me. It motivates me even more to work and give everything to show that I deserve this confidence. This contract is an important step, but it’s only the beginning. I still have a lot of work to do to improve. »
Florian Maurice, sporting director, summed up the club’s position: « Everton is a player with many qualities and exemplary mentality. » The message confirms the club’s intention to continue supporting the young midfielder in the coming months.
Mantsounga, a defender rooted in the territory
The second signing concerns Brad‑Hamilton Mantsounga. The versatile defender, also 18 years old, has just signed a contract until 2029. Born in Nice, having gone through all the club’s age groups and captain of the U19s, the player has already experienced the professional squad. Five appearances across all competitions—the latest in the French Cup against Montpellier—have shown his ability to adapt to top-level demands.
His first appearance dates back to a French Cup match against Nantes on January 11. Since then, the young defender has participated in Ligue 1 and Europa League matches. His commitment and progression convinced the club to secure his future, as Wolfsburg was also monitoring his development.
Upon signing, Brad‑Hamilton Mantsounga shared his feelings. « I am very happy and very proud today. Becoming professional is an objective I’ve had since I was little. The training center has taught me a lot, and I am aware that this is only one step. I thank the club, my coaches, my family and everyone who has supported me. Now, I want to continue working to reach the highest level and repay the confidence the club is placing in me. »
Jean‑Pierre Rivère praised this progress. « Seeing a player from our training center reach the professional world is always a great satisfaction. It illustrates the quality of the daily work and the identity we want to instill at the club. »
This signing comes in a particular context for OGC Nice. The club is going through a delicate sporting period, marked by a fight for survival and a coaching change in December. Claude Puel replaced Franck Haise following a difficult European phase. The economic situation adds additional pressure. The decline in TV rights forces the Gym to rethink its model, as Maurice Cohen acknowledged: « we need to rethink our economic model. »
The reorganization is already affecting several internal sectors. The professional squad will be affected, with a revised salary scale. The club is therefore preparing a transition that could change its operations in the coming months.
In this context, highlighting young players trained at Nice takes on strategic dimensions. The signings of Everton and Brad‑Hamilton Mantsounga fit within this logic. The club secures profiles already integrated into its environment, capable of adapting to current constraints and embodying the Gym’s identity.
These two trajectories remind us that training remains an essential lever to stabilize the club’s sporting future. The coming weeks will show how these young players will fit into a project in full evolution.
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