FC Metz have agreed a deal to sign Comoros international defender Idris Mohamed from Le Puy Foot 43 Auvergne as they step up their bid to return to Ligue 1 next season.
The 22-year-old centre-back, who impressed in National 1 last term, is set to join the Moselle club on a four-year contract, according to Foot Mercato. Metz have reached an agreement with Le Puy over a transfer fee of around €300,000, with additional performance-related bonuses included.
Mohamed, capped four times by Comoros and part of the Cœlacanthes set-up, had attracted strong interest during the current transfer window following a convincing campaign in France’s third tier.
Metz beat overseas competition
Clubs in both France and abroad had been monitoring Mohamed’s situation, with Maritimo in Portugal and Italian sides Monza and Frosinone among the main contenders to secure his signature.
Despite that competition, Metz have emerged as the winners in the race for the defender, who is now expected to continue his development in northeastern France as part of a squad being reshaped with promotion in mind.
Mohamed remains under contract with Le Puy until 30 June 2027 and is currently valued at €350,000 by Transfermarkt, underlining the scale of the investment Metz are making in a player recruited from outside the professional divisions.
Building a squad for promotion push
The arrival of Mohamed is designed to strengthen Metz’s defensive options as they look to assemble a squad capable of making an immediate return to Ligue 1 next season.
The club, nicknamed Les Grenats, have targeted young players with potential resale value and international experience, and see Mohamed’s profile – a promising defender already exposed to senior international football – as fitting that strategy.
While the transfer is yet to be officially announced by the clubs, the agreement between Metz and Le Puy, the length of Mohamed’s planned contract and the details of the fee signal that only final formalities remain before the move is completed.