In an era where young players seem to be flying the nest earlier and earlier, Warren Bondo’s decision to put pen to paper on a professional deal at AS Nancy felt like a breath of fresh air on a crisp March morn.
Especially when you consider that the teenage midfielder received offers from some of the biggest football clubs on planet earth before committing his future to the second-tier club.
“After my first season at Nancy, PSG made an enquiry about signing me,” Bondo explains (GFFN).
“The two clubs did not reach an agreement. It would have made me happy to play for my hometown club and return to Paris . But I was also very happy to sign a professional deal with Nancy.
“I feel good at Nancy. I am at home. It has also allowed me to progress quickly. I maybe wouldn’t have had this chance at PSG, at Liverpool or at Inter.”
‘Progress’ he certainly has.
Still just 18, Bondo has made 17 league appearances this season alone. He’s been linked, recently, with Manchester United, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid, amongst others.
And the assumption was, when Bondo was ready to take the next step in his development, that it would be at his request. Instead, it seems that Nancy are pushing their prized asset out the door, rather than the other way around.
What next for Warren Bondo?
“I initially wanted to extend my adventure with my club because I felt indebted to them,” Bondo tells Onze Mondail.
“Discussions with the president didn’t go well. No agreement was reached. The sporting situation didn’t help matters. The president wanted to sell me but I wanted to re-sign. I wanted one thing: to agree on everything and extend my deal.
“It didn’t happen, so I was pushed aside.”
Bondo’s contract expires in July. With Nancy nailed to the bottom of Ligue 2 and staring the third-tier in the face, any hopes of Bondo enjoying a fairytale end to his Chardons story have gone up in cloud of acrimony and disillusion.
A summer move to Liverpool, Milan, Atletico or Manchester United would surely brighten Bondo’s mood though. As far as consolations go…
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