Royal Antwerp recruit Nantes midfielder Bahmed Deuff on loan

Mauritanian-French midfielder Bahmed Deuff has joined Royal Antwerp from FC Nantes on loan, giving the Jupiler Pro League club a new option in defensive midfield.

The 20-year-old moves to Belgium after beginning the 2026-27 campaign with Nantes in Ligue 2. He had made three appearances for the French club before completing his switch to Antwerp on 3 September, playing 108 minutes without scoring or registering an assist.

Deuff came through Nantes’ youth system, joining the club’s under-17 side in July 2021. He progressed to the under-19 team in 2023 before moving into Nantes B the following year, and stepped up to the senior squad in July 2025.

Born in Nouakchott, Deuff represents both Mauritania and France at nationality level. The right-footed midfielder is listed at 1.94m and plays primarily in a holding role, offering Antwerp a physically imposing presence in the centre of the pitch.

His move comes after a short opening run of Ligue 2 football for Nantes this season. Deuff appeared in three of the club’s first four possible league matches, receiving one yellow card and contributing no goals or assists.

Royal Antwerp have taken the player for the 2026-27 season, with the agreement scheduled to conclude at the end of June. The move allows Deuff to continue his senior development in Belgium while remaining contracted to Nantes, the club where he progressed from academy football into the first-team setup.

The transfer adds another chapter to Deuff’s rapid rise through Nantes’ ranks. Within five years of arriving at the club’s youth structure, he had advanced through three levels and made his Ligue 2 debut before moving abroad for the first time.

Deuff’s loan at Royal Antwerp runs until 30 June 2027.