Plea satisfied with Nice exit as big changes beckon

Premier League target Alassane Plea believes the time is right to leave Nice as he follows Lucien Favre out of the Ligue 1 club.

The former France youth international had already flagged his intention to depart at the end of the season and signed off with a brace in the final-day 3-2 defeat to Lyon as his team fell a point short of the European places.

Those goals took Plea’s season tally to 21 in all competitions and he has now decided to pursue a new challenge, with Leicester City and Newcastle United rumoured to be interested.

His decision comes as Favre also bids goodbye ahead of an expected appointment at Borussia Dortmund.

“It’s a good time to change clubs after four years in Nice,” Plea told L’Equipe.

“I have a good exit. We’re losing a great coach and this is a chance [to bring in new players].”

The 25-year-old’s departure means Nice’s next head coach will have problems to solve in attack, with Mario Balotelli out of contract and expected to seek a return to Italy.