Lyon has placed a €60 million valuation on 20-year-old Belgian winger Malick Fofana, who is attracting significant interest from Premier League sides like Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea. According to Miguel Delaney of The Independent, Lyon may try to create a bidding war to maximize their returns, especially given their recent financial troubles that led to a threatened, but contested, relegation to Ligue 2.
Fofana arrived at Lyon 18 months ago from Gent for €17 million, and his market value has dramatically increased. The young winger has contributed 15 goals and 7 assists across 62 appearances for Les Gones. Reports indicate that former Lyon president John Textor intended for Fofana to be sold this summer, a plan mentioned during a hearing with the DNCG, French football`s financial watchdog.
Beyond the aforementioned English clubs, other teams showing interest in Fofana`s unique abilities reportedly include Fulham, Nottingham Forest, RB Leipzig, Napoli, and Bayern Munich.
While there were earlier reports suggesting Nottingham Forest had agreed a transfer, L`Equipe states that Fofana is highly unlikely to join Nuno Espirito Santo`s side. His preference is reportedly for a major European club participating in the Champions League. His representatives are said to be in discussions with clubs of the stature of Bayern Munich and Liverpool.
