OGC Nice: Mercato, Youcef Atal, Ghisolfi make strong announcements
Florent Ghisolfi has provided an update on OGC Nice‘s winter transfer window and addressed the question regarding the future of Youcef Atal.
OGC Nice: 6 to 7 Players Absent Due to AFCON, Farioli Concerned.
Currently second in Ligue 1 at the mid-season, OGC Nice is performing exceptionally well. The club finished on top of the best defense ranking, conceding only 9 goals in 17 matches. At this point in the season, Nice is directly qualified for the group stage of the Champions League. However, the club intends to strengthen its team in January to secure its position on the podium during the crucial second half of the season.
Several OGC Nice players will be absent during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), including Terem Moffi (Nigeria), Jérémie Boga (Côte d’Ivoire), and Hicham Boudaoui (Algeria). Francesco Farioli expressed concern, mentioning “six or seven players affected.”
Transfer Market: Ghisolfi ensures no major players will be transferred.
As for Florent Ghisolfi, he emphasized the goal of stability in Nice-Matin. The Nice management has agreed not to sell players during this winter transfer window, intending to keep the team, “at least the major players,” as stated by the sports director of the Eaglets. He added, “Perhaps we will make one or two loans for young players in need of playing time.”
Despite this clarification, Foot Mercato reports Stuttgart’s interest in Evann Guessand (22 years old). The Bundesliga club is said to have identified the profile of the Nice forward to potentially replace the highly sought-after Sehrou Guirassy, who is rumored to be leaving.
OGC Nice Awaits Judicial Decision on Youcef Atal.
To conclude, Florent Ghisolfi provided an update on the situation of Youcef Atal (27 years old). He mentioned that no decision has been made regarding the Nice defender, aside from his suspension until further notice. “Nothing is confirmed. There will first be a judicial decision, and then the Africa Cup of Nations,” indicated the director. “Today, he is under contract. As for the future, we will see,” clarified Ghisolfi.
As a reminder, Youcef Atal is being judged for incitement to racial hatred based on religion. This is related to his sharing of a message from a Palestinian preacher calling for “a black day for the Jews” in a video. The court will deliver its verdict on January 3, while the prosecutor has requested a 10-month prison sentence and a €45,000 fine for the Algerian defender of OGC Nice.