Wolfsburg target Nice teenager Mantsounga as contract talks continue

Bundesliga side Wolfsburg are monitoring Nice defender Brad-Hamilton Mantsounga amid ongoing negotiations over the 18-year-old's first professional contract with the French club. The German outfit is considering triggering a €500,000 training compensation payment to sign the youth prospect this summer, according to French football reports.

Mantsounga has made five senior appearances this season across Ligue 1, Europa League and Coupe de France competitions since debuting in January. The versatile left-footed defender, capable of playing centrally or wide, became part of the first-team setup following Franck Haise's appointment as manager in February.

Nice have reportedly opened talks to secure Mantsounga to a professional deal alongside four other academy graduates. However, the teenager remains on a trainee contract until 2027, leaving Wolfsburg alert to potential recruitment opportunities. Under FIFA regulations, clubs signing players under 23 without professional terms must pay training compensation to their formative clubs.

The potential move reflects Wolfsburg's strategy of investing in emerging talents, while Nice risk losing another promising product after selling Jean-Clair Todibo to Manchester United earlier this summer. Mantsounga's physical profile and positional flexibility have drawn attention since his integration into senior football during Nice's European campaign.