Benie Traore admits to "complicated" Sheffield United situation after horror start to Nantes loan spell

Benie Traore suffered a horror start to life at new club Nantes at the weekend, following his loan spell from Sheffield United. The Ivory Coast striker moved to the French side earlier this month, after failing to command a regular starting position at Bramall Lane following his summer move from Hacken.

Traore's deal contains an option for the Ligue 1 side to make the move a permanent one and his hopes of earning a fresh start in France began positively when he set up Florent Mollet's equaliser in the 47th minute, after Shamar Nicholson had put Clermont ahead at Beaujoire Stadium. But Traore was then sent off in the 73rd minute after a VAR check following a poor challenge on the left ankle of Habib Keita.

The 21-year-old faced the local media for the first time this week after his move from Bramall Lane, and spoke of his debut to forget. “It was hard because I had a good match with the team," Traore said, via Google Translate. "We came back well in this second period. Unfortunately, I committed this uncontrolled gesture, which is dangerous. I understand my expulsion. It was really difficult to come out in a first match here at La Beaujoire. It was not intentional. I only wanted to play the ball and you can see it in the action."

Already without Mostafa Mohamed and Moses Simon on duty at the African Cup of Nations in Traore's homeland, the Blades loanee's red card is a further headache for boss Jocelyn Gourvennec. A £4m signing in the summer from Hacken, Traore struggled to acclimatise to the pace and power of the Premier League and made just three league starts for the Blades, with just one appearance under boss Chris Wilder after he returned to United to succeed Paul Heckingbottom in early December.

"I am very happy to come here, to change environment,” Traore said on his move. “I am a fast, technical player and I feel the shots offensively. To improve I think I can get in even more good areas, score more. But I think I'm on the right track. I was waiting for something because it was getting complicated for me on the Sheffield side. For a young player like me, I had to have playing time. With FC Nantes, it happened very quickly."