Speaking exclusively to Get French Football News, Ligue 2 side FC Lorient owner Loïc Féry explained why star attacking midfielder Alexis Claude-Maurice decided to reject Premier League interest in order to sign for Ligue 1 club OGC Nice this summer instead.

“I think very unusually, this was a player who had a very clear idea of his career path and he felt that he needed a sort of intermediate step before going into the Premier League, which I think he views as obviously one of the most competitive football competition. We had two firm interests from two Premier League sides, which I think it is not a secret, West Ham and then Norwich later on, who basically made competing offers. So I guess, I don’t want to speak for him, but he made the career choice to go through a club like Nice and feel that he would be able, especially with the ambition that the club has and the new owner, Ratcliffe, he feels that that club will be in a position to compete at the highest level in Europe and he will pursue his development over there.”

“I think all the talents that we have seen and the efficiency that made him the best player in Ligue 2 last year, I wouldn’t be surprised that you see him in the Premier League in the next few years.”

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