Malick Fofana has spoken openly about Chelsea and Liverpool wanting to sign him during the summer transfer window, with Tottenham Hotspur being warned a deal might not be straightforward.
Fofana broke through at Gent in his native Belgium before joining Lyon in January 2024. The winger is only 20 years old but has already established himself as an important player for Lyon, having registered 16 goals and eight assists in 65 outings for the club so far.
Fofana was in good form last season, putting up 11 goals and six assists in 41 games. He impressed against Manchester United and Rangers in the Europa League, with his electric displays sparking interest from a host of clubs around Europe.
The Premier League appeared to be his most likely destination. English clubs have far bigger spending power than most of their European rivals.
Chelsea identified Fofana as a target to replace the likes of Jadon Sancho and Mykhailo Mudryk on the left flank. Liverpool considered the 20-year-old as a replacement for Luis Diaz, who joined Bayern Munich.
However, Fofana ultimately stayed at Lyon. Chelsea signed Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho instead, while Liverpool brought in Hugo Ekitike, who can play as either a striker or left winger.
It emerged on Friday that Tottenham are determined to capture Fofana in 2026. But Spurs could face competition from other clubs including Chelsea and Liverpool.
That is because Fofana has confirmed Chelsea and Liverpool were keen on landing him over the summer. They have clearly been impressed by his performances and could return for him at a later date.
“There was interest from those two clubs, but ultimately nothing concrete,” the wide man said (via Belgian source HBVL).
“I’ve considered a transfer, but now I think it’s more important that I play a lot, and that has to happen at Lyon. Because I still have some progress to make.”
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Fofana’s contract with Lyon runs until June 2028. It is likely he will spend the season developing in France before securing a big transfer next summer.
In May, Fofana’s agent confirmed that his ‘choice of heart would be Liverpool’.
Lyon want €50-60million (£43-52m) to sell, though they could be forced to accept a lower price amid their difficult financial situation.
Lyon were relegated to Ligue 2 due to their severe debts, but they successfully appealed the decision and were reinstated to France’s top flight.
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