For many, September 1st rhymes with the end of summer, vacations, and the return to school. But for football enthusiasts, it marks the end of two months of the transfer window.
For OGC Nice, the transfer window has been particularly fruitful. Let’s take a detailed look at Nice’s arrivals and departures.
Departures:
Wylan Cyprien: The 26-year-old player who joined the Gym in 2016 is leaving the club permanently. Last year, he was loaned with a purchase option to Parma. The Serie A club decided to trigger the 6.7 million euro option. However, the player will indeed be in Ligue 1 next year, as the Italians have loaned him to FC Nantes.
Stanley NSoki: The former Parisian youth player spent only 2 years in Nice. Arriving for 12 million euros, the defender never really convinced, whether at center-back or left-back. He leaves the club for 6.5 million euros and joins Bruges with whom he will compete in the Champions League.
Pierre Lees Melou: One of last year’s captains at Nice leaves a good impression on The Eaglets’ fans. The player, who discovered professional football in 2015, has always been significant and at the right level. He leaves Nice after 4 years to join the Premier League and Norwich for 6 million euros.
Myziane Maolida: In one of the last transfers of this window, the former Lyon player signed with Hertha Berlin for 4 million euros. The 22-year-old never managed to establish himself due to injuries, leaving with 4 goals scored in 62 matches in the red and black jersey.
Racine Coly: The Senegalese international joined Estoril for free at the beginning of this transfer window. Already loaned out multiple times in recent seasons, the 25-year-old defender has not been impressive. His departure was more crucial for the Gym than acquiring transfer funds.
Yoan Cardinale: This is one of the strong decisions made by the management during this transfer window. At the beginning of summer, the goalkeeper, who has only known Nice as a professional, left the club after 12 years of service. Starting from 2015 to the end of 2017, he eventually lost his starter position in favor of Walter Benitez. When Patrick Vieira arrived at the club, he reinstated him as number 1, but due to significant mistakes and injuries, he became a substitute again and remained on the bench until his departure this summer.
Dann Ndoye: The young Swiss 20-year-old spent only a year with The Eaglets. Arriving from Lausanne, he scored 3 goals last season (1 in Ligue 1, 2 in the Europa League), showing great potential. Despite significant playtime in preparation matches, his performance was lackluster, and Galtier no longer counted on him. He leaves on loan with a purchase obligation of 4 million.
Andy Pelmard: After Dann Ndoye, another player departs to FC Basel on loan with a purchase option. The 21-year-old defender played 39 matches with the Gym since his debut in 2019.
Alexis Trouillet: The news was announced on Monday in the evening, the young Alexis Trouillet, 20-year-old offensive midfielder, leaves the Gym on loan without a purchase option. The young player joined Nice in January 2020 from Rennes and is a great hope for the club. Having appeared 8 times since his arrival, he heads to Ligue 2, at Auxerre, to play and gain experience.
Total revenue from departures: 23.2 million euros
Arrivals:
Calvin Stengs: Purchased for 15 million, Calvin Stengs is the most expensive signing of the transfer window. But this gem could have cost much more. At 22 years old, the right winger had an excellent season last year with 7 goals and 5 assists and has already earned 7 caps with the Netherlands. His organizing winger profile will strongly challenge Ligue 1 defenses.
Andy Delort: At 29, Andy Delort is among the best scorers in Ligue 1. He has scored 63 goals and delivered 29 assists in the French championship. While it seemed he would end his career in Montpellier, the Setois was attracted by the Riviera project and coach Christophe Galtier who wanted him absolutely. For 10 million, Nice acquired an experienced and competitive forward to compete with the Gouiri-Dolberg duo at the attack’s forefront.
Jean-Clair Todibo: The center-back joined the Gym in January 2021. In the last months of the 2020-21 season, he quickly established himself as an undisputed starter, which convinced Julien Fournier and Jean-Pierre Rivère to trigger his 8.5 million purchase option. Fast, technically skilled, and a good initiator, he has all the qualities to form a great complementary duo with Dante.
Pablo Rosario: This is the steal of the transfer window. For 6 million, OGC Nice secured a top-class defensive midfielder. Since his arrival, Rosario has played every match of the championship for the Eaglets. He has already shown his defensive contribution in midfield. He is among the highest-rated midfielders in Ligue 1 over the first 3 matches, with an average rating of 6.67.
Mario Lemina: With Pablo Rosario mentioned above, he forms a very physical and very active pair in midfield. Having played for Marseille and Lorient, the midfielder returns to Ligue 1 after mixed stints at Juventus, Southampton, Galatasaray, and Fulham. For 5 million euros, what initially seemed a risk now seems a good gamble.
Malvin Bard: Another significant coup for Nice. Surprisingly, the young promising left-back Malvin Bard left Olympique Lyonnais, where he had shown great promise under Rudi Garcia. Very promising, he was one of the biggest prospects from Lyon’s youth academy. For only 3 million euros, he will occupy Nice’s left flank for a few years.
Marcin Bulka: The 21-year-old Polish goalkeeper arrives on loan with a purchase option. He joined PSG for free after being a starter with Chelsea’s reserve (2016 to 2019) and participating in the Youth League, with his departure being seen as a failure for the English club. He had shown great potential, but years without playing at PSG may have hindered his progression. Nevertheless, it’s a very good acquisition for Nice, who will have a promising young player to support Benitez.
Justin Kluivert: Yet another Dutch player, but not just any—a son of the great Patrick Kluivert. Justin arrives on loan from AS Roma after a more than modest season at Leipzig. This season, he seems destined to be the starter on the left wing with Gouiri repositioned centrally. In 3 Ligue 1 matches, he has already showcased his speed, technique, and scored a goal and also provided an assist.
Total amount spent on arrivals: 48 million
