Marseille's Elye Wahi completes permanent transfer to Nice
OGC Nice have completed the permanent signing of forward Elye Wahi from Olympique de Marseille. The clubs confirmed the deal on Sunday, following a 1-1 draw between the two sides in Ligue 1, a match in which Wahi scored a late Panenka penalty for Nice against his former club. While the exact financial terms were not disclosed, the move is understood to be a straight permanent transfer, ending Wahi's stint at the Stade Vélodrome after just one season.
The 21-year-old French striker joined Marseille from Montpellier last summer for a reported fee of around 30 million euros, but his time in Marseille was marked by inconsistency and difficulty settling. He managed just six league goals in 28 appearances, often struggling to secure a regular starting role under a succession of managers. His departure had been anticipated for several weeks, with Nice emerging as the most likely destination.
For Nice, managed by Claude Puel, the acquisition addresses a clear need for more attacking firepower. The club has found goals hard to come by this season and currently sits in the lower half of the table. Wahi represents a calculated gamble on youthful potential, having previously demonstrated his scoring prowess with 19 Ligue 1 goals for Montpellier in the 2022-23 campaign. His style, combining pace and direct running, is seen as a fit for Puel's tactical setup.
From Marseille's perspective, the sale allows the club to recoup a portion of their initial investment and move on from a player who failed to meet expectations. According to sources close to the club, manager Habib Beye and the sporting department are keen to reshape the attacking line and view Wahi's departure as a necessary step. The atmosphere around the player had soured, a sentiment evident when he was booed by the home fans following his penalty celebration during Sunday's match.
The transfer concludes a swift and somewhat dramatic chapter for Wahi, whose decisive goal for his new club against his old one underscores the immediate narrative of the move. For Nice, he offers a long-term project, while Marseille will now look to reinvest the funds from his sale into their squad rebuild this summer.
