Loan moves can be a tricky business, to say the least, and for Fulham’s Joe Bryan, the switch to Nice last year is one he’s probably regretting.
The left-back joined the French side on loan from Fulham in the summer when it was made clear he was not a part of Marco Silva’s plans for this season.
The hope was that he could impress enough to secure a permanent switch or at least put himself on the radar of other clubs but, as far as L’Equipe are concerned, that is not the case.
They cover the situation at Nice today and explain that full-back problems have been plaguing the club for a while and this year has been no different.
It has seen coach Didier Digard experimenting this season in an attempt to solve the problem, putting square pegs in round holes in the hope that something sticks.
The arrival of Bryan from Fulham never helped solve the issue, with his initial signing ‘greeted with a scepticism’ that his performances ‘have not diminished’.
Since replacing Lucien Favre midway through the season, Digard ‘has never used him’ and the French club even sought out other options in the January transfer window, although that proved to be a fruitless endeavour.
Indeed, Bryan hasn’t managed a single minute in the league since a 1-0 win over Stade Brestois at the beginning of November, spending his time since then on the bench or out of the squad entirely.
He will be returning to Fulham in the summer as a result, presumably glad to get back to England after what can only be described as a disastrous year across the Channel.
