The three new arrivals at the Gym were presented to the press this Monday. It was an opportunity for them to talk about their past, their transfer, and their expectations.
MARLON SANTOS
First introduced was Marlon Santos, who arrives from Barça. “I am here because of everything that has been achieved in previous seasons,” explained the Brazilian. “The team plays beautiful football. The work here is similar to Barça’s. I hope to continue my progress at OGC Nice.” According to his new coach, he might even start on Saturday with his new teammates for the match against Monaco.
RACINE COLY
“Greetings to you all. Nice is a club I have always admired. It is a growing club, and I am a young man who wants to grow with the club. I am very happy to be here.” With these few words, Racine Coly immediately set the tone, blending a joy for life with determination, inherited from his youth in Dakar and forged on the fields of Italian Serie B.
“I am still young and have a lot to learn, especially defensively. I am sure that with the coach, it will be easier. He will help me progress,” details the new Azurean full-back, who politely declined when invited to list his qualities: “It’s a bit difficult. I’d rather let others talk about that.”
NAMPALYS MENDY
Lastly, Papy Mendy, returning to the Côte d’Azur after his first stint between 2013 and 2016, reflected on his challenging experience with Leicester last season.
“I didn’t necessarily expect to return to Nice. But circumstances created an opportunity for me. I seized the chance to come back here. For me, it is not at all a step backward.”
The former captain continues: “I was injured almost the entire season (at Leicester) and underwent two ankle surgeries. Given what Nice has become, I think it’s actually quite the opposite, and it’s a very good thing for me. The atmosphere at the club remains the same, it’s like I never left.”
