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Cagliari agree deal for Nice striker Kevin Carlos with medical scheduled
Cagliari have reached a full agreement to sign OGC Nice striker Kevin Carlos, with the Spanish-Nigerian forward due to undergo a medical before completing his move to Serie A, Soccernet.ng reports.
The transfer is expected to be completed initially on loan, with Cagliari holding an option to buy the 25-year-old for a fee believed to be between €3.5m and €4m, according to Tutto Atalanta.
Carlos has already agreed long-term personal terms with the Italian club, meaning the medical is among the final formalities before the move can be confirmed.
The forward is set to leave France after just one season at Nice. He joined the club from FC Basel for €6m last August, but his first campaign in Ligue 1 produced limited returns and fell short of expectations following his encouraging spell in Switzerland.
Cagliari won the race to sign Carlos after competing with fellow Serie A side Venezia and English club Preston North End. The Sardinian club believe he can add variety and greater attacking threat after a difficult 2025-26 campaign.
Cagliari finished 14th in Serie A with 43 points from 38 matches. They recorded 11 victories, 10 draws and 17 defeats, scoring 40 goals and conceding 53. Their minus-13 goal difference reflected the difficulties they experienced across the season.
Carlos, meanwhile, made 24 Ligue 1 appearances for Nice but played only 911 minutes. He failed to score or register an assist in the French top flight and was frequently used as a substitute, rather than being selected to lead the attack from the start.
His record in European competition was more encouraging. Carlos scored twice in eight Europa League appearances, offering glimpses of the finishing ability that initially persuaded Nice to sign him from Basel.
Before completing his move to France, he had scored once in four Swiss Super League appearances for Basel.
Nigeria ambition adds significance
The move to Italy comes at an important point in Carlos’ career, with his international future also beginning to take shape.
Born in Spain, Carlos has publicly stated that he wants to represent Nigeria at senior international level instead of Spain. Regular football in Serie A could strengthen his case by giving him the opportunity to test himself consistently against some of Europe’s most experienced defenders.
A successful spell at Cagliari would also provide Carlos with a bigger platform to demonstrate that he can deliver regularly at a high level after finding it difficult to establish himself at Nice.
For Cagliari, the proposed move offers an opportunity to address their attacking problems. For Carlos, it represents the chance to secure more playing time and rebuild his momentum after a frustrating season in France.
With the medical arranged and personal terms agreed, Carlos now needs to complete the required formalities before beginning his new chapter in Italy.
He is not the only Nigerian player moving to Serie A this summer. Super Eagles players Kevin Akpoguma and Akor Adams have also joined Italian clubs, with Akpoguma moving to Frosinone and Akor Adams signing for Venezia.
