20.02.2013, 06:00
Nantes sign Claire and Škof for next season

The hosts of the EHF Cup Finals boost their squad for future years.

Nantes sign Claire and Škof for next season

The main priority for HBC Nantes is to qualify for the first edition of the EHF Cup Finals, which will take place on their court 18/19 May, but the French club also set the plans for a new season and signed two more players recently.

The first one is the French centre back Nicolas Claire, who has been formed at and has only played for the PSG before.

After the announcement of the signing of the Hungarian Gábor Császár and of French superstar Daniel Narcisse, Nicolas Claire decided to go elsewhere.

On the Loire banks he will meet again with Thierry Anti, who had been coaching him for several years in Paris.

"He's one of the most talented players of his generation, he's a strong candidate for the national team in the coming years. He's ambitious, he's determined, he's got everything to fit in the club," the HBC Nantes president Gael Pelletier said of the talented 25-years old player.
 
The second recruit is the Slovenian goalkeeper Gorazd Škof. After a very good world championship that he finished fourth with his national team, Škof is now signing a two years contract with Nantes after playing for several clubs of central Europe, including Celje, Zagreb and Koper, where he is playing this season.

Since Koper is also among the participants of the EHF Cup, he even might be able to discover his new home-arena in May for the EHF Cup Finals. After playing the EHF Champions League for several years, he will bring his experience to Nantes for the next season.

"I'm really happy to come to Nantes. To be honest, at my age (36), it sounds like the beginning of a second life and it's a very good opportunity that's been proposed to me. I discussed this offer with some of my team mates in the national team and they convinced me. I'm ready to discover this new league, and it's the good moment for me to face a new challenge," Škof said to the official club website.
 
The two new players will join the Tunisian right winger Aymen Toumi, who signed last year a three years contract with Nantes.

TEXT: Kevin Domas / br