PROFILE | Is Jonathan Clauss a net-positive for OGC Nice? | OneFootball

It is difficult to discern whether Jonathan Clauss’ impact is positive or negative. The France international certainly brings something on the pitch. He is a marauding full-back, defensively susceptible, but so decisive in the final third. He isn’t reaching Achraf Hakimi levels, but 11 assists last season, including 10 in Ligue 1, is an impressive figure for a ‘defender’. 

He already has two assists to his name this season, too, whilst in Ligue 1, he also ranks in the top 10 for key passes, crosses and successful take-ons. On the face of it, Clauss’ impact is overwhelmingly positive, but there is a context around the Frenchman, and his disgruntlement has only served to further sully the atmosphere at the club. 

The relationship between Clauss and Nice turned sour over the summer. The Frenchman almost moved to Bayer Leverkusen, however, Nice ultimately priced him out of the move. With just one year remaining on his deal, Clauss was keen on a move to the Bundesliga giants. He was even removed from the first-team set-up momentarily, with the France international unsettled. 

A suspect knee injury causes tension

He was reintegrated, however, a couple of months later, he had seemingly still not come to terms with that failed move. Clauss asked to be brought off at half-time during Nice’s 2-1 win over Stade Rennais over the weekend. He then missed the midweek win over Lille OSC (2-0). The defender claims to be suffering from a knee injury, but tests did not reveal an injury, and there was scepticism at the club, and from Franck Haise. There was a suspicion that Clauss is making himself unavailable in order not to play a certain number of matches, which would then see his expiring contract automatically extended for a further season.

“I didn’t create the problem,” said Haise, who said that, had Clauss missed several weeks, it wouldn’t have been because of injury. It is an episode that has marked Nice’s dreadful start to the campaign and one that has contributed to it. 

Haise’s major gripe has been his inability to “create a group” from his current crop of players and such situations only serve to further divide. His positive impact on the pitch has never really been in question since he reunited with Haise at Nice, but whether he has a net-positive impact on the club is another question entirely.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle