OGC Nice Signs Experienced Axel Witsel to Elevate Club Status

OGC Nice announced the signing of Axel Witsel on Tuesday as part of their summer transfer activities. The experienced Belgian midfielder, now a free agent after leaving Girona, joins the 'Azuréen' squad to compensate for the significant injury to Laurent Abergel.

The Belgian international, Axel Witsel, 37 years old, has committed to a one-year contract with OGC Nice, with an option for a second season. Following media speculation, the club officially confirmed the acquisition of the Belgian player in the evening.

"It's a pleasure to join OGC Nice," stated the midfielder. "I've always followed the club, and I was even in contact with them a few years ago. As soon as the management and the coach called me, I knew I would come. We clicked immediately," Axel Witsel expressed in a statement released by the Gym. "I feel physically good and mentally sharp. I arrive with a lot of humility and a strong desire to help the team have a great season, to bring the club back to where it belongs. I'm eager to start working, meet the Nice supporters, and experience Ligue 1."

An Experienced Reinforcement for Nice

Trained at Standard Liège, Witsel is Belgium's second most-capped player with 140 appearances (and 12 goals). He participated in the World Cup this summer, albeit as a substitute.

Last season, he played for Girona in Spain, where he made 32 La Liga appearances as a defensive midfielder, though he couldn't prevent the Catalan club from relegation. With previous spells in Portugal, Russia, and China, he had a successful period at Borussia Dortmund between 2018 and 2022, followed by a stint at Atlético Madrid from 2022 to 2025.

Witsel and Ngoumou Qualified for Ligue 1 Restart

The arrival of the Liège native, who joined on a free transfer, aims to fill the void left by Laurent Abergel's serious knee injury sustained during pre-season. Witsel will be eligible to play in the opening Ligue 1 match against Lorient on Saturday.

This also applies to Cameroonian international forward Nathan Ngoumou (2 caps), trained at Toulouse. The 26-year-old signed a two-year contract with Nice on Monday, transferring from Borussia Mönchengladbach. Having been in Germany since the summer of 2022, his progress was abruptly halted by an Achilles tendon rupture in April 2025.

Nice, which is looking to offload at least four more players, including forward Terem Moffi and midfielder Salis Abdul Samed (who have been excluded from the first-team squad), is also reportedly hoping to finalize its recruitment with the loan return of Elye Wahi, who was already with Nice from January to June.