Mostafa Mohamed trains alone on Nantes return as club push for transfer exit

Mostafa Mohamed has reappeared at FC Nantes after weeks of unexplained absence – but the Egyptian striker has been frozen out of the first team and told he must train away from the main squad as the French club seek to move him on this summer.

The 28-year-old, who did not report back when pre-season began on 24 June, returned in recent hours to the club’s Joneliere training base, according to Ouest-France.

He is now working on an individual programme, separate from the senior group, and will be placed with the reserve side while his future is resolved.

Isolated return after weeks of silence

Mohamed took part in a solo training session on Wednesday, far from the professional squad, who are currently away on a pre-season training camp in the coastal town of La Baule.

The separation is deliberate. Nantes, relegated to Ligue 2 at the end of last season, no longer see the former Galatasaray forward as part of their plans despite his international pedigree with Egypt and experience in Ligue 1.

His reappearance ends a period of uncertainty that had stretched over several weeks. During his absence, Nantes had been sending him daily letters formally warning that he would not be paid as long as he remained away from the club without justification.

While his return brings clarity on his whereabouts, it does nothing to alter the stance of the club’s hierarchy, who are intent on finding him a new destination before the transfer window closes.

Trained with reserves as Nantes look to offload

Mohamed, who is entering the final stages of his current deal, will now work with the Nantes reserve team, who compete in the fifth tier, National 3, rather than with the senior squad preparing for life in Ligue 2.

The biggest stumbling block to a departure remains the lack of concrete offers. Despite his profile, no club has yet submitted a proposal deemed acceptable by Nantes, who are under pressure to rebuild following relegation.

For both the player and the club, a transfer is now seen as the most realistic way to “turn the page” and draw a line under a relationship that has clearly broken down.

Pyramids FC monitoring situation

One possible way out could lie in Mohamed’s homeland. African outlet Africafoot recently reported that Pyramids FC have shown an interest in signing the forward and are closely tracking developments in France.

The Cairo-based club are said to be considering a move to bring Mohamed back to the Egyptian league, potentially exploiting his current stand-off with Nantes and his marginalised position within the squad.

With only a few weeks remaining before the summer transfer window shuts, the situation remains fluid. Pyramids FC have yet to table an official bid, and no other suitors have publicly emerged.

Contract, value and salary

Mohamed is under contract with Nantes until 30 June 2027, meaning the French side are under no immediate pressure to sell from a contractual standpoint, but his exile from the first team underlines their determination to find a solution.

His market value is estimated at around €4m, and he earns an annual salary of €1.77m (approximately 1,150,500,000 FCFA) with the Canaries.

For now, Mohamed’s future remains unresolved: back at the training ground, but far from the spotlight – and further still from the Nantes first team.