Yassine Benhattab has officially joined Montpellier from FC Nantes, signing a three-year contract with the Ligue 2 club after completing the final administrative formalities.
The 23-year-old forward has agreed terms that will keep him at Montpellier until June 2029, according to the club’s official website. He will wear the number 10 shirt and becomes the latest addition to the club’s attacking options.
Benhattab’s move had been delayed for several days while the remaining paperwork was completed, but the transfer has now been confirmed. He joins Montpellier as a “joker”, a status used in French football to allow a club to recruit outside the usual transfer arrangements in specific circumstances.
The France-born Algeria international’s previous experience with FC Nantes included 10 appearances in Ligue 1. He is now expected to play a part in Montpellier’s efforts to challenge for promotion back to France’s top flight.
Benhattab has also represented Niort, Aubagne and Reims during his career. The versatile winger, whose market value is estimated at €2m by Transfermarkt, offers Montpellier pace, creativity and passing ability in the final third.
Montpellier will hope he can settle quickly into his new surroundings as the club pursues its ambitions in Ligue 2 this season. His ability to operate in a number of attacking positions is expected to give the team another option as it looks to improve its promotion prospects.
His arrival comes shortly before Montpellier’s fifth league match of the campaign, against Saint-Etienne. That fixture will provide the club with an early opportunity to assess its progress and potentially give Benhattab his first involvement with his new team, although no debut details have been confirmed.
The match has also attracted attention from betting markets. The odds listed by 1xBet price a Montpellier victory at 5.60, with a draw set at 4.20 and a Saint-Etienne win at 1.48.
Montpellier’s recruitment of Benhattab adds further depth to a squad attempting to return to Ligue 1. For the player, the move represents a fresh start after his spell with Nantes and the chance to take on a more prominent role wearing the number 10 shirt.
At 23, Benhattab now has a long-term opportunity to establish himself at Montpellier and demonstrate that his combination of speed, creativity and technical quality can make a significant contribution to the club’s campaign.