Highly respected French football journalist Arnaud Huchet has stated that Lorient’s sale of highly influential striker Terem Moffi has hurt the team and made them weaker. 

Lorient loaned Moffi to OGC Nice with a guaranteed option to buy for 30m in the summer but since the departure of the Nigeria international who had scored 12 league goals for the Les Merlus, the team have lost their attacking threat compared to when Moffi was leading the lines. 

The team have dropped to the No 10th spot on the log compared to the sixth position they occupied while Moffi was leading their attack, “Since the departure of Moffi, Lorient has struggled in offensive animation. His departure during the winter transfer window hurt them sportingly. They recruited Bamba Dieng and Romain Faivre. They are talented players who can still improve,” Huchet  said while previewing Lorient’s forthcoming game against Olympique Marseille on Sunday.

The journalist claimed the only reason the Nigerian was sold was to get a huge amount from him as his value was due to reduce as there would have been just one year left on his contract in the summer. 

“Moffi was at the end of his contract in 2024. The Lorient leaders felt that this was probably the last window to sell him at a very good price. He had a very good first part of the season. When Nice arrives in the negotiations, with the means which are theirs, Lorient logically decides to sell Moffi. 

“We are talking about a very big transfer between 25 and 30 million. This also helped to replenish the club’s coffers. On the sporting level, on the other hand, it is a blow. The team has been less successful since the winter transfer window.”