Super Eagles forward Moses Simon produced a top performance for Nantes in their hard-fought 2-1 win over Nice at the Allianz Riviera on Friday night, Soccernet.ng reports.
Simon provided the assist for Douglas Augosto’s first goal in the 11th minute. And even though Ali Abdi scored the equalizer for Nice, Matthis Abline scored the match-winner in the 38th minute.
Aside from his assist, Simon put in a big shift at the back to prevent Nice from scoring. He had a 50% pass accuracy and one clearance.
Simon’s assist took him to nine assist in Ligue 1, the highest in the French top-flight. It also took his goal involvements for this season to 16, as he also has seven goals.
There is no doubt that he 29-year-old winger is the most important player at Nantes, as he has the highest number of goal contributions for the club. Nantes have scored 33 goals in Ligue 1 this season.
To exacerbate Simon’s importance to the club, he has been involved in 16 of their league goals, which means that he has had a hand in 48.5% of their league goals.
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By the numbers, Simon is having his best-ever season. This is the first time that Simon will score seven league goals in a single campaign for one club since his first year in Europe, when he scored seven goals for AS Trencin in the 2013/14 season. Since then, the best he has done is six, which is a decent return for a winger.
In terms of assists, he has also never reached nine assists for one club in a single season since he started playing in Europe.
Why Moses Simon needs to end the season on a high
Nantes currently sit 13th on the Ligue 1 table, six points above the relegation zone. But aside from Angers, the other teams below them have a game in hand.
With six games left in Ligue 1, Nantes have their fate in their hands, but they still risk relegation if they fail to win their remaining games.
It is clear that Moses Simon is a crucial member of the team. So they will be counting on him to continue delivering the goods until the end of the season.
Hence, the Nigerian winger still has a lot of work to do. Nantes have games Rennes, PSG, Toulouse, Angers, Auxerre, and Montpellier. And these are fixtures that Simon should shine in.
Should Moses Simon leave Nantes?
Moses Simon has spent five years in Nantes already, with one French Cup to his name. The Super Eagles star has been consistently linked with a transfer away from the club, with some speculations linking him with a transfer to England.
However, nothing has happened yet. But now, Simon is 29, and he will be 30 at the start of next season. As such, it is difficult to see any top club try to sign him.
Nonetheless, if any club comes for him, Nantes might just let him go due to his age and the fact that his current deal expires at the end of next season. Besides, Ligue 1 clubs are not that rich, so the money would do them good.