Kojo Oppong's pace and aggressiveness attracted us to sign him – Nice director

OGC Nice have strengthened their defensive unit with the acquisition of 21-year-old Ghanaian centre-back Kojo Peprah Oppong from Swedish top-flight side IFK Norrköping.

The deal, announced on Thursday, sees Oppong join on a permanent transfer. While the club has withheld the financial details and contract duration, French outlet L’Équipe estimates the fee to be between €2 million and €3 million.

Oppong becomes Nice’s second defensive signing of the summer following the loan arrival of Manchester City defender Juma Bah. His addition comes at a crucial time for head coach Franck Haise, who is managing a depleted backline. Club captain Dante is approaching retirement at age 42, while Moïse Bombito will miss the start of the season. Youssouf Ndayishimiye and Mohamed Abdelmonem are both sidelined with long-term ACL injuries.

“Kojo is a player we scouted again very recently,” said OGC Nice Sporting Director Florian Maurice. “Even though he is young—he turned 21 last month—he’s already made a name for himself in Sweden’s top division with Norrköping, following an impressive loan spell at Sundsvall in the second tier.

“What attracted us to him was his pace, mobility, aggression in duels, and his ability to adapt to different defensive systems. He’s ready to play, as the Swedish league is currently in season.”

Oppong is expected to join his new teammates at their pre-season training camp in Austria ahead of Nice’s UEFA Champions League qualifier against SL Benfica on 6 August.