Transfer specialist Santi Aouna stated on Monday that West Ham are strongly pursuing Melvin Bard before the transfer deadline and that the defender could leave Nice for England. It is reported that Nice have reached an agreement with Niels Nkounkou and are very close to a deal, which would in turn allow Melvin Bard to depart.

French left-back Melvin Bard, 25, could leave Nice for England, as both West Ham and Leeds are pursuing him. It is reported that Nice is preparing for his potential departure and is advancing on a deal for Niels Nkounkou, who has been made a priority to compensate for Bard's possible exit. Bard, who joined Nice in July 2021, is under contract until 2028. According to Transfermarkt, he has a current market value of €10.00m. It is reported that in July 2025, OGC Nice set an asking price of €35 million for the player.