Moffi Should Leave Nice After Fan Attack – Zenke Urges January Move

Former Nigerian international Simon Zenke has urged Super Eagles striker Terem Moffi to seek a January transfer away from OGC Nice, citing his personal and sporting interests after a distressing incident involving the player.

Zenke pointed to the violent assault Moffi endured from angry Ultras following Nice’s 3–1 defeat at Lorient late last year an episode that has understandably affected the striker’s state of mind.

Speaking to Footy Africa, Zenke said the Nigerian forward must prioritise his well-being and career progression, arguing that a change of environment would be best for him. “Moffi has to leave the club for his personal and sporting interests… you have to have your mind and heart with your club,” he stressed.

Reflecting on the incident, Zenke added: “I do not think he is in the right frame of mind or can even have the mindset to play for the club again after what happened to him.” He went on to condemn the violence: “No one, not even a footballer, should be treated that way. It is a criminal offence… violence does not solve anything.”

Zenke recommended a switch to Auxerre, saying the Ligue 1 side could benefit from Moffi’s quality up front and that such a move, if concrete, would be sensible for both player and club. “The player has to play… I admire his game,” he concluded.

Editorial

There are crossroads in a footballer’s career where context outweighs capability, where the environment becomes as significant as the individual’s talent. Terem Moffi now stands at such a juncture — not because of goals scored or chances created, but because of an incident that has shaken the very foundations of his professional sanctuary at OGC Nice.

Violence has no place in sport. Yet when a player is confronted not by an opponent on the pitch, but by those who claim to revere the club, the rupture goes beyond statistics and contract clauses. Moffi’s ordeal, subjected to physical and verbal abuse by a faction of Nice supporters, is as jarring as it is unjustifiable. This was not the constructive dissatisfaction of fans demanding better performance this was an eruption of hostility that leaves psychological scars deeper than any defender’s challenge.

Zenke’s counsel that Moffi should seek pastures anew carries a resonance not simply because of the trauma inflicted, but because of the subtle truth it reveals about modern football players are human beings first, commodities second. What point is there in loyalty if the environment in which that loyalty is reciprocated compromises a player’s state of mind and hinders his ability to perform? In suggesting Auxerre as a destination, Zenke hints at a return to football’s essential joy the simple act of playing without fear, without lingering question marks about safety and acceptance.

Nice’s crisis is not merely about results or league position those can be rectified. It is about restoring a culture that protects its players as fervently as it expects them to perform. For Moffi, the question now is not whether he can score goals he can  but whether he can do so in an environment that nurtures his confidence rather than undermines it. In the cold calculus of football careers, sometimes the bravest move is the one that leads away from familiar turf, toward renewal and respect.

Did You Know?

1. Moffi’s Rise in Europe Before his time at Nice, Moffi became prolific in Ligue 1 with FC Lorient, where he scored 11 goals in the 2023-24 season and attracted interest from top clubs across Europe.
2. Contract Status Moffi signed with Nice in January 2023, with an obligation-to-buy reported at around €30 million — reflecting the club’s long-term faith in his abilities.
3. Ultras Violence Condemned The French professional league (LFP) and players’ union UNFP both strongly condemned the violence against Moffi and Jérémie Boga, stressing player safety as paramount.
4. Legal Action Moffi and Boga filed police complaints after the attack, with local authorities formally investigating the incident.
5. Medical Absence Following the attack, Moffi was placed on extended medical leave as Ligue 1 medical protocols prioritised both his physical and psychological recovery.