Nice sporting director Florent Ghisolfi denounces reported Hugo Lloris return as “agent manoeuvre”

OGC Nice sporting director Florent Ghisolfi has branded Hugo Lloris’ (36) touted, but failed return to his former club as an “agent manoeuvre.” 

It was reported by The Telegraph’s Matt Law that Nice tried to bring Lloris back to the club on transfer deadline day. France’s most-capped player had already rejected moves to Lazio and Newcastle United in the summer and then proceeded to reject his formative club in the dying hours of the window. 

In the name of “transparency,” Lloris spoke to Nice-Matin to clarify the situation. “I want to clear up the ambiguity surrounding the events of the past hours. Yesterday, an hour before the end of the window, I received a call from an agent, who evoked the possibility of joining OGC Nice. Playing prospects and the sporting project, the real motors behind a player’s decision, much more so than financial conditions, weren’t clearly broached. My professional journey has shown that exchange, sharing and collective growth have always forged my decisions, even more so when it’s about coming back to the club that trained me. The supporters and the team deserve better than a split-second decision based on a phone call without expectations or a clear sporting project with one hour until the closure of the window at a time where I wasn’t expecting it,” said Lloris.

Ghisolfi has now addressed the situation through an official press release, clarifying that Lloris’ return was never on the cards. “It’s an agent manoeuvre that blew this whole story out of proportion, whilst us, at the club, never envisaged the possibility of bringing Lloris back as a number two, out of respect for his sporting status, but also in regards to the financial means that we can designate to this position,” began Nice’s