Elye Wahi returns to Nice on season-long Frankfurt loan

Elye Wahi is back at OGC Nice, giving the club a proven attacking option after his productive first spell helped them through a difficult campaign. The 23-year-old centre-forward has joined from Eintracht Frankfurt for the full season, with Nice holding an option to make the move permanent.

The loan carries a €1.5 million fee, while the purchase option is valued at around €15 million. Wahi’s return follows a sharp contrast between his two recent spells. He made 19 appearances for Nice last season, scoring nine times and supplying two assists. Five of those goals came in Ligue 1, while he also scored twice in the Coupe de France semi-final win at Strasbourg and twice in the return relegation play-off against Saint-Étienne.

His time in Germany was far less effective. Since joining Frankfurt in January 2025, Wahi played 25 matches, but totalled only 614 minutes and scored once, in the German Cup. His return therefore gives Nice a striker who has already produced in the club’s colours while seeking a more consistent role in France.

Wahi’s arrival is part of Nice’s recruitment drive under coach Olivier Pantaloni and sporting director Roger Ricot. The club, which secured its top-flight status through the play-off last season, is targeting a stronger campaign and a return to European competition. Wahi has 49 goals and 14 assists in 139 Ligue 1 appearances across his career.