FC Nantes Nears Deal for Defender Yanis Zouaoui as Club Rebuilds After Relegation

FC Nantes is in advanced talks with Le Havre AC to sign 28‑year‑old Franco‑Algerian left‑back Yanis Zouaoui. The club says the transfer is imminent and Zouaoui would become the sixth summer addition to a squad that has already added Maxime Dupé, Lucas Perrin, Killian Corredor, Wilitty Younoussa and Mathieu Cafaro. The signing is aimed at shoring up a defence that struggled in the club’s recent relegation to Ligue 2 and to support the team’s goal of returning to Ligue 1.

The relegation has triggered a major overhaul of the playing staff and heightened financial pressure. Several senior players have left, and the club faces a possible takeover by a British investment fund that requires €70 million in sales before the deal can be approved. Owner Waldemar Kita has denied the sale is imminent, while goalkeeper Anthony Lopes, who warned of a lack of character a year ago, now sees the transfer activity as essential for the club’s survival and future ambitions.