Elye Wahi has set out his determination to reignite his career after completing a loan move to OGC Nice, insisting that the project on the Côte d’Azur convinced him to take on a fresh challenge.
The 23-year-old French striker joined Nice from Eintracht Frankfurt until the end of the season and became the club’s first signing of the winter transfer window.
After a difficult spell in the Bundesliga, where he failed to score in ten league appearances, Wahi now aims to rediscover his confidence and attacking edge in Ligue 1.
Speaking during his official presentation on Friday evening, Wahi explained the thinking behind his decision.
He highlighted the quality of the discussions he held with Nice’s leadership and coaching staff, stressing that footballing vision, rather than promises, drove his choice.
“Nice needs to get back on track, and so do I,” Wahi said. “I spoke with Florian Maurice and with the coach, Franck Haise, and then continued the conversations with Claude Puel.
We talked about football, about ideas on the pitch, and that convinced me. The welcome I received here surprised me in the best possible way.
I feel ready to give everything for this club.”
Nice turned to Claude Puel earlier this season, with the experienced coach now tasked with stabilising a campaign that has fallen short of expectations.
Wahi believes the current context suits his mindset, drawing on previous experiences of battling through challenging periods.
“The last two seasons challenged me,” he admitted. “But I feel more motivated than ever to prove myself again. The situation at Nice does not scare me.
I lived something similar at Montpellier, and I learned a lot from it. I want to show that I can perform and help the team move forward.”
Wahi’s arrival gives Nice another attacking option ahead of a demanding run of fixtures.
The club hosts RC Strasbourg at the Allianz Riviera at 7 p.m., a match that could offer the striker his first opportunity to make an immediate impact in front of the home supporters.
For Nice, the loan represents a calculated move to inject pace, energy, and hunger into the frontline.
For Wahi, it marks a chance to reset, reconnect with Ligue 1, and remind observers of the qualities that once made him one of the most exciting young forwards in French football.
Both player and club now share a clear objective: steady the season, restore confidence, and finish the campaign with renewed momentum.
