Nantes Bastien Meupiyou Dilemma: How One Club's Success Is Also Their Downfall
Will Lightning Strike Twice?
In the 1970s and 1980s, Brittany club Nantes built a talent factory that produced superstars like Didier Deschamps, Marcel Desailly, and Christian Karembeu.
Last season the Canaries rolled back the clock. They reminded Europe of their crafty ability to produce their own.
Nantes powered into the UFEA Youth League semi-finals, making history as the second French club to achieve this feat.
The new generation drew massive crowds to their European adventures, packing the Stade de Beaujoire with 13,000 fans for the home knockout tie against Sevilla and 19,000 for the match against Copenhagen.
Olympiacos, the ultimate winners, crushed Nantes' youthful dream, but what's impressive is how close Nantes came to the final despite missing their injured captain Enzo Mongo and star Nathan Zézé, who had been promoted to the senior team.
Europe's top scouts and clubs closely track Nantes' young players, and for good reason.
Nantes Fatal Mistake: The Story of How They Lost Randal Kolo Muani
FC Nantes leadership seethed with fury and tension in 2021 as they faced an intense transfer battle with Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt over their 22-year-old star striker, Randal Kolo Muani.
The Canaries faced a dilemma with the player's contract running out in under 12 months, putting them at risk of losing a valuable asset without compensation.
Nantes failed to extend Munai's contract, and with each passing week, the player moved closer to leaving.
As the months of messy speculation rumbled on, Nantes even threatened legal action, claiming the German’s pursuit of their protégé was unlawful.
In March 2022, the player inked a pre-contract agreement with Frankfurt, crushing Nantes' hopes.
The Muani saga taught Nantes a harsh lesson, one they will soon encounter again, testing their ability to learn from it.
Will Lightning Strike Twice?: The Playful Tug-of-War For Bastien Meupiyou
Today, Nantes boasts an 18-year-old sensation, Bastien Meupiyou, whose contract situation mirrors Muani's.
Meupiyou, an 18-year-old defender and standout in the Youth League last season, is already on the radar of potential suitors despite still developing his skills - unlike Muani, who had reached a more advanced stage during his transfer negotiations.
The young star, a stalwart of France's triumphant international youth teams, was aggressively pursued by RC Lens during the winter transfer window.
Lens were unsuccessful with their €5m bid, but with the player’s contract running out at Nantes in 2025, manager Antoine Kombouaré may have to plan for life without him.
Nantes will not get burned again - if the player refuses to extend, he'll depart before this summer window closes.
The defender stands out as a dominating physical force, towering at 1.91 m despite his youth.
He stood out as a solid defender at the U17 World Cup last summer, with a 76% defensive duel success rate average in seven games.
Meupiyou is a tenacious tackler and a bargain gem for potential suitors, boasting an imposing and pacy physique.
Nantes corridors of power respect the player's exceptional talent, undeterred by his current knee injury recovery, which should not hinder his future growth.
The player's senior inexperience earned him an early exit in his first start against Marseille last season, red carded just nine minutes in. We can excuse his impulsiveness, considering his youth.
For those of us who regard youth development as one of the wonders of European Football, flawed yet beloved and glorious. The reemergence of the Nantes talent factory is a welcomed sight.
It's unacceptable and unjust that clubs like Nantes lose talented young players like Meupiyou to predatory teams without receiving fair compensation.
The tradition of fans seeing an academy product grow into a star is often underestimated. But, it's given little regard by the football transfer sharks who smell a bargain.
FC Nantes Academy products are crucial to the club's identity. This historic French club must take control and stop letting its top youth talent slip away for free or better yet build a team full of them like days of old.