Franck Haise confirms Youssoufa Moukoko unlikely to stay at OGC Nice

Youssoufa Moukoko’s (20) loan move to OGC Nice has not worked out and Franck Haise has now confirmed that it is unlikely that the purchase option included in the deal made with Borussia Dortmund is likely to be triggered. 

Moukoko, out of favour at Borussia Dortmund after breaking onto the scene as a teenager, even making an appearance for the Germany national team, joined Nice in the summer. However, he has scored just two goals in 22 appearances in all competitions; just 12 of those have come as starts. 

When called upon in the UEFA Europa League, a competition in which he made seven of those starts, he did not deliver. Both of Moukoko’s goals came in the same match, the 8-0 drubbing of AS Saint-Étienne in Ligue 1 last autumn. He has not played a single minute in Les Gym’s last five Ligue 1 matches and has not even been included in the matchday squad on two occasions. 

It is therefore unsurprising that Nice are unlikely to make the move permanent. “He is training well but it isn’t easy. We have six, seven, eight players up front. If they can’t express themselves, score and assist… I have choices to make and can’t keep throwing players back in. But once again, I am praising the mindset that he has every day,” began Haise responding to Get French Football News. 

He added, “We know his situation too. He is a player that is on loan with an option to loan that in all likelihood, the club won’t be able to trigger. But his mindset is remarkable.” Moukoko’s buy option is thought to be worth around €18m.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle – reporting from Nice