Egyptian striker Mustafa Mohamed continues his mysterious absence from French club Nantes, in a notable development that casts a shadow over the team's preparations for the new season in Ligue 2, after he missed the first friendly match against Fleury, which ended in a resounding 5-0 victory.

The newspaper 'Ouest-France' pointed out that the player's absence, ongoing since the resumption of training on June 24, may be linked to disputes over a salary reduction following the club's relegation to the second division.

Head coach Michel Der Zakarian expressed his deep confusion over the situation, saying in statements after the match: 'Mustafa... I've never seen anything like this! These days, we see many illogical things in football. He decided to do this. We'll see what happens when he returns.'

Mustafa Mohamed, who arrived from Turkish club Galatasaray, is considered one of Nantes' key attacking pillars, making his continued absence a source of concern for the coaching staff as the new season approaches, amid the challenges awaiting the team to regain its place in the top flight.