Bernard Nguene has completed a permanent move from OGC Nice to Standard Liège on a free transfer, sealing a switch that places the Cameroonian centre-forward in the Jupiler Pro League after his recent loan spell with the Belgian club. The deal, registered as a free transfer, follows the end of his loan and his brief return to Nice, with his new contract at Standard Liège running from 2026-02-02 to an unspecified expiry date.
The move confirms Standard’s decision to commit fully to the 19-year-old after initially bringing him in on loan from Nice earlier in the 2025/26 season. That loan, which began on 2026-01-19, was formally concluded when Nguene was returned to the French side on 2026-02-01, only for Standard to act immediately and secure him on a permanent basis the following day. No transfer fee was paid, despite Nguene’s market value being listed at €200k at the time of the move.
Nguene joins Standard Liège as a right-footed centre-forward, standing 1.78 m tall and wearing the number 26 shirt. The transfer continues a rapid rise for the attacker, who was born on 04/08/2006 and has progressed quickly through club structures in Cameroon and France before arriving in Belgium. Although he is now settled in Europe, he remains a Cameroon national and his next steps will be followed closely back home.
Before turning professional in France, Nguene was on the books of Brasseries du Cameroun, moving from the Cameroonian side to OGC Nizza U19 on 2024-09-09. His development in Nice’s youth ranks led to a step up into the senior setup on 2025-07-01, when he was officially promoted from OGC Nizza U19 to OGC Nice. His market value doubled in that period, rising from €100k in early 2025 at the U19s to €200k with Nice by the end of the same year, underlining the club’s belief in his potential.
Nguene has already experienced three footballing environments by the age of 19: domestic football in Cameroon with Brasseries du Cameroun, French football at youth and Ligue 1 level with OGC Nizza U19 and OGC Nice, and now the Belgian top flight with Standard Liège in the Jupiler Pro League. This progression places him among a growing group of young Cameroonian forwards who are building their careers entirely abroad rather than in the domestic league.
While the transfer itself cost no fee, the decision by Standard to convert the loan into a permanent deal reflects how the club values a player whose trajectory has been consistently upward. The continuity of staying at Standard after his loan gives Nguene a stable platform in a competitive European league, and also clarifies his club future at a stage when some players his age might instead be heading into free agency.
As Nguene settles into life in Liège and prepares for the challenges of Belgian top-flight football, the move offers him a clear pathway to regular minutes at senior level. If he capitalises on this opportunity, the free transfer from Nice to Standard Liège could become a pivotal chapter in his career, shaping his reputation in Europe and strengthening his prospects for both club success and future recognition for Cameroon.
