The Ghanaian passed his medicals and signed his contract on Thursday. The move comes after a difficult spell at RC Lens and an underwhelming loan stint in England with Sunderland.
Samed arrived at Lens in 2022 from Clermont and immediately became a key figure in the heart of midfield, forming a formidable partnership with Seko Fofana.
His impressive performances helped Lens secure a runners-up finish in Ligue 1 and qualify for the Champions League, with the Ghanaian making 33 league appearances and earning a contract extension until 2028.
He also broke into the Black Stars setup, making his debut in November 2022 and starting all three of Ghana’s games at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
However, his form dipped after the World Cup. The 2023/24 season saw him lose his starting place, and by the following campaign, he was sent on loan to Sunderland in the English Championship.
Injuries meant he didn’t make his debut until January, and he managed just 10 league appearances, despite the Black Cats earning promotion.
Samed’s early years in France were promising. After developing at the JMG Academy in Accra and in Côte d’Ivoire, he joined Clermont in 2019, helped them achieve promotion to Ligue 1 in 2021, and signed permanently months after. That rise earned him the Lens move, where he quickly proved his quality at the highest level of French football.
Now, the 25-year-old will be hoping his switch to Nice provides the platform to get back to his best. It’s been reported that his former manager at Lens, Franck Haise, was the main driver behind the move.
The Riviera club offers him the chance to re-establish himself as a top-flight regular, rediscover the form that made him one of Ligue 1’s most reliable midfielders, and put himself back in contention for Ghana’s national team selections ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
