With 12 goals in 19 matches, and just one shy of French super star, Kylian Mbappe, it was obvious Lorient would not be able to hold on to their Nigerian jewel- Terem Moffi. It therefore came as no surprise when Ligue 1 side met Lorient’s €30 million valuation of the Nigeria international with just 24 hours to the end of the winter transfer window. What remains to be seen however is if the Super Eagle will justify his huge transfer to the Riviera
After having several bids rejected, Ligue 1 club OGC Nice on their seventh attempt finally met Lorient’s valuation of €30 million on Nigeria international, Terem Moffi.
Lorient have accepted a €30 million offer for Super Eagles forward, Terem Moffi to join Ligue 1 club OGC Nice.
According to French news outlet, Footmercato, the deal agreed on entails €25 million fee with another €5 million in add-ons.
Lorient had wanted Moffi to join Olympique Marseille after they met their valuation of the Super Eagle but the striker insisted on a move to the Riviera club.
Moffi, 23, signed a four-and-a-half-year contract upon the completion of his medical.
The Moffi saga lasted almost the entire window. Initially, Nice were rivalled by Premier League clubs West Ham United and Southampton. However, interest from across the Channel waned as reports revealed that the Nigerian striker’s preference was to remain in Ligue 1.
With his move to Nice, West Ham’s pursuit of Moffi was all but dead in the water. Lorient’s preference has always been to sell to West Ham rather than rivals Nice.
But the player’s preference has always been to join Nice.
West Ham already had a deal in place with Lorient for the 23-year-old Nigerian for £20 million plus, while Nice were struggling to get close to it.
The Hammers however became concerned after Nice offloaded striker Andy Delort to Nantes as it raised guaranteed funds and indicated they are expecting to sign a replacement before the deadline.
Now Nice have blown West Ham out of the water for striker Moffi.
According to breaking news from Foot Mercato on Monday, Nice submitted a seventh bid to Lorient for Moffi worth over £26 million plus add-ons.
The report claims that there are “still details to be settled” but that Nice had already taken charge in the battle with West Ham.
“OGC Nice have made a new offer, possibly the last, for Terem Moffi at Lorient,” Foot Mercato reports.
“It seems to be getting closer to President Féry’s demands. Final details are currently being discussed…
“The final details are currently being played out. And this concerns the different percentages and bonuses. Percentage on resale, more or less accessible bonuses, this is what is currently being discussed between the two parties.”
This was always likely to be the case as soon as news emerged that Nice had shipped out Delort – ironically an alleged former West Ham target himself.
It is looking increasingly likely that West Ham boss David Moyes will be going into the relegation run-in with what he has.
And that is an enormous risk based on what the Hammers have produced during a woeful Premier League campaign so far.
Especially as all of their seven relegation rivals bar Everton have been active in the January window while West Ham have only brought in Danny Ings.
Moffi joined Lorient from Belgium Pro League outfit, KV Kortrijk for €8 million in October 2020.
He has scored 12 goals in 19 league appearances for Lorient so far this season.
Meanwhile, OGC Nice have said they are thrilled to sign Nigerian international Terem Moffi from fellow Ligue 1 club FC Lorient.
“We’re delighted that Terem’s determination to sign for OGC Nice, combined with our own, has led to this outcome. The support of our owner was also invaluable,” remarked club president Jean-Pierre Rivère.
“It’s an investment that matches our ambitions.”
Nice Sports Director, Florent Ghisolfi, was full of praise for the quality of their new striker.
“When it comes to the ideas that we want to implement and the identity that we want to establish, he’s the ideal striker,” Ghisolfi said.
“Terem is capable of playing with his back to goal and of running in behind. He’s a modern striker, very pacy and very powerful. He has experience, and he fights for the team. He’s capable of making run after run whilst always keeping a cool head inside the box.
“In Ligue 1, he’s already set the standard. A new milestone awaits him at Nice, where he’ll get to play in Europe for the first time in the spring and will be one of the key men carrying the club’s lofty aims.”
Describing the 23-year-old, OGC Nice wrote, “quick, powerful and a formidable finisher, the Super Eagle is also a man of his word.”
Moffi has become a household name in the Ligue 1, scoring 34 goals in 87 matches since his arrival from KV Kortrijk in 2020. His transfer was competed on time and he’s eligible to make his debut for OGC Nice when they face Marseille tomorrow.
