OGC Nice is delighted to announce Aboulaye Camara (18) has signed his first professional contract with the club.

He announced himself with a goal during pre-season at OM before making his Ligue 1 debut in the Matchday 3 home game against Le Mans. After being a key part of the Gambardella Cup run last season, the young midfielder, who was born in Selibabi (Mauritania), has now taken another step forward in his career.

After arriving in France aged seven, “Abou” first played in the Paris region in Créteil, Choisy-le-Roi and Montrouge before moving to the Le Havre youth academy and then joining OGC Nice a little more than a year ago. “Everything has gone so fast,” he said. “Here, I’ve really found myself in the perfect environment to express myself. I know that people have faith in me and support me. I really enjoyed last season, I am enjoying this season a lot too as I’ve been able to discover the pro world and all the demands that go with it. I am going to keep working with humility and ambition. I am very proud of this first pro contract and would like to thank everyone who has supported me.”

Maurice Cohen, OGC Nice President

“Aboulaye was very good with the youth team last season. He really impressed us this summer when he showed a lot of character in coming into the first team squad. The coach really likes him and we do too. He’s a young player with a lot of quality and a great attitude. Congratulations to the academy coaches who spotted him and have made him work well.”

Roger Ricort, Sporting Director

“Aboulaye occupies a lot of space in midfield. He can press very well and always goes forward. He can get about the pitch and technically he’s very calm, even under pressure. He’s the pleasant surprise of our summer. We know exactly where we want to go with him. He’s one of the great prospects of our academy. It was important for us to keep him here. Now, it’s up to him to work well to keep moving forward regularly.”

Julien Sablé, Youth Academy Director

“Aboulaye is proof of resilience. We gave him a chance to bounce back after his disappointment at Le Havre, and he took it. He struggled at the start because he played a lot on instinct. He needed to learn to channel his efforts, to respect the tactics, to press or stay in position, to position himself in space in relation to his teammates. He’s like a sponge, he soaks up everything with a lot of intelligence. And he’s a leader, a great competitor. He has asked himself a lot of questions over the last 18 months and trusted us. He’s been rewarded. I’m very proud to see him sign his first professional contract.”

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