Ghanaian centre-back Kojo Peprah Oppong has hailed veteran Brazilian defender Dante for easing his transition into life at OGC Nice after a rapid rise into the club’s first team.
The 21-year-old joined the French Ligue 1 side from Swedish outfit IFK Norrköping during the summer transfer window and was initially tipped for a gradual integration.
Instead, he has started every competitive match since making his debut in August against Benfica in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers.
Oppong featured again from the start in Saturday’s Ligue 1 fixture against FC Nantes despite club captain Dante’s return from injury, a sign of the trust placed in him by manager Francesco Farioli.
The Ghanaian admits Dante’s influence has been crucial to his development at the club.
“He helps us young players a lot. After the game, he told me it’s important to manage the game, save energy, and when leading, not to attack too much as centre-backs. That was really good advice,” Oppong said after the match, as quoted by Get All French Football.
Oppong’s emergence as a defensive mainstay has been one of the bright stories of Ligue 1 this season, signalling a promising future for the former Norrköping player.
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