Al Ahly defender Mohamed Abdelmonem has emerged as a target for Ligue 1 outfit OGC Nice, according to French reports.
Abdelmonem has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in Egypt and Africa, guiding the Reds to back-to-back CAF Champions League titles.
Several European clubs have been said to monitor the Egypt international, with Gianluca Di Marzio stating that Serie A outfit Bologna are a huge fan of the player.
However, it looks like Bologna won’t have an easy road towards signing Abdelmonem as now L’Équipe reports that OGC Nice has entered the race as well.
According to the report, Abdelmonem is on Nice’s radar, having been followed by the French club for several weeks, but for the moment no firm proposal has been made.
The Egyptian defender is expected to replace Jean Clair Todibo, who is rumoured to have attracted interest from Juventus and West Ham.
Nice finished last season fifth in Ligue 1 and secured Europa League football for next season and will be hoping to strengthen their squad, having lost Khéphren Thuram to Juventus earlier this summer.
On the other hand, the club has made several signings this summer, bringing in Jonathan Clauss, Morgan Sanson, and Tanguy Ndombélé for an overall total fee of just €9 million.
Nice is owned by British petrochemical giant INEOS, which also owns Swiss Super League side FC Lausanne-Sport and a 27.7% minority stake in Premier League giants Manchester United.
Abdelmonem has been a standout performer for the Red Devils since his breakthrough with the national team in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
However, the Egyptian champions could be reluctant to part with their star defender, who has been a central pillar to their success in recent years.
Since cementing his place with the first team, Abdelmonem has made 115 appearances for Al Ahly, scoring eight goals while helping his side win nine trophies.