French club Olympique Lyon, who are heavily in debt, are in financial difficulties. Their debts continue to rise and if they do not get their finances back on track, they could be forcibly relegated to the Ligue Deux and may have to leave Ligue 1 for good.
For clubs around the world, this is an opportunity to acquire quality players at a discount. They are expected to be forced to make some redundancies ahead of this summer’s transfer window, including Rayan Cherki, a key player in the team and a future ace candidate for the French national team.
While the club also has veterans who have been at the forefront in the past, such as Alexandre Lacazette, Nicolas Tagliafico and Nemanja Matić, the club’s supernova winger Malick Fofana has been keenly watched by the Premier League.
According to CaughtOffside, both Liverpool and Arsenal could be in the race for the 19-year-old Belgian winger. It also reported that the player himself is open to a move and that a fee of around €50 million is being demanded.
Furthermore, clubs such as Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus have also expressed interest, but nothing has been decided on his future at the moment.
The Belgian attacker, who plays mainly on the left wing but can also play as a right winger, combines good wiggle dribbling with his small stature, as well as high agility. He uses both to get past pressing defenders and carry the ball forward.
He has already played more than 30 games this season, but not necessarily as a starter, and his first-team appearances are about half and half. Although he has yet to become an absolute starter, his potential is highly regarded and he is understandably being targeted by clubs looking to move up the table.
However, it remains to be seen whether he will be a regular contender at Anfield. Rather, it is true that it is difficult to see him playing in the first team any time soon.
It is hard to imagine a future where Liverpool are committed to acquiring the player, but given Lyon’s financial situation, what kind of summer will it be…?