In an interview shared by OGC Nice, Youssouf said he was enjoying his first full preseason since 2023. He spoke about playing with the ball, taking risks and trusting the squad’s young players.
Nice’s professional squad returned to the training centre for preseason testing. Youssouf was among the defenders listed for the resumption of collective training.
Youssouf returned to competitive football in Nice’s 2-0 win at Angers, coming on for Dante in the 79th minute. His previous official appearance had been against Paris on 25 April 2025.
Nice reported that Youssouf captained the side and played more than 70 minutes against Monaco in the Challenge Espoirs. He encouraged and organised his younger teammates as he built toward a return.
Youssouf and Mohamed Abdelmonem each played 45 minutes in a training match against RC Grasse. Nice won 2-0 as both defenders took another step in their recovery from cruciate ligament injuries.