Olivier Ntcham: Cameroon midfielder linked with surprise move to Nice

Cameroon international Olivier Ntcham, currently without a club, is being linked with a return to Ligue 1 with Nice considering a move for the free agent central midfielder. The 30-year-old, who was born in Longjumeau and also holds French nationality, left Turkish side Samsunspor at the start of July and is now available on a free transfer, with his value recently assessed at around 2m.

Nice are exploring midfield reinforcements and Ntchams status as a free agent makes him an accessible option, with the club able to move outside the constraints of a transfer fee. The right-footed central midfielder has extensive experience across Europes major competitions, including Serie A, the Scottish Premiership, the Championship and European knockout football.

Ntchams most recent regular run came in Turkeys Super Lig, where he made over 80 appearances for Samsunspor and previously featured prominently for Swansea City in the Championship. Earlier in his career he enjoyed a successful spell at Celtic, winning the Scottish title in three consecutive seasons from 2017-18 to 2019-20, as well as multiple domestic cups, and has played in both the Europa League and Champions League qualifying rounds.

A move to Nice would mark Ntchams first permanent club in Frances top flight after a brief spell of appearances in Ligue 1 earlier in his career. For now, the midfielder remains unattached following his July departure from Samsunspor, leaving him free to negotiate directly with interested clubs as the summer window develops.