As every Sunday, we take a look at the latest summer transfer news for OGC Nice. The last few days have been marked by the defeat against Benfica (0-2) in the first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round and the departure of a key player from Franck Haise’s squad.
This time, it’s truly over! Evann Guessand is no longer a player for OGC Nice. His departure had been anticipated since the beginning of the summer and was dreaded by Gym supporters; it is now official. The Ivorian international has joined Aston Villa in the Premier League. The English club did not hesitate to spend the €35M (including bonuses) that the Nice management was expecting to release their striker. After 12 years at the club, Guessand is leaving the Côte d’Azur. Without him, the Eagles will attempt to overturn Benfica Lisbon after having suffered a defeat (0-2) in the first leg on Wednesday evening at the Allianz Riviera. The scorer was already absent from the pitch in that match.
In terms of arrivals, OGC Nice is still searching for a striker to support, or even compete with, Terem Moffi. One thing is certain, it will not be Ransford Königsdörffer. The Ghanaian striker had indeed passed his medical examination at the Azuréen facilities. However, a medical issue with the player’s knee cooled the Nice management’s interest. Internally, they no longer want to take risks with such cases following the Moffi episode. The Nigerian forward had suffered a cruciate ligament rupture last summer. At the time of his arrival in January 2023, a ligament vulnerability had been noticed during his medical, but it did not compromise his transfer.
The Gym’s transfer window is far from over
Strengthening Franck Haise‘s attack seems to have become a priority. OGC Nice has already established a list to recruit a new forward, prioritizing options from Ligue 1 and at a lower cost. In this regard, the profile of Lassine Sinayoko is appreciated internally. With one year left on his contract, the striker from AJ Auxerre had a decent season with his club (5 goals and 9 assists in L1). The player is also a key figure for his national team, Mali.
On the departure side, OGC Nice has officially announced the transfer of Teddy Boulhendi to Bourg-en-Bresse. Having never appeared professionally, the goalkeeper had been third in the hierarchy in recent years with the Gym. As part of a one-year loan, he will try to revive his young career with the National team.
