Sidelined by Milan and France, Youssouf Fofana joins Lyon on loan

Olympique Lyonnais will secure the services of Youssouf Fofana, loaned by AC Milan with an option to buy. The agreement between the two clubs was confirmed on Tuesday, with the 27-year-old midfielder set to undergo his medical before officially signing with the Gones before the end of the transfer window.

The move, unexpected given the club’s financial situation, was made possible by the accumulated departures in recent days. The transfers of Duje Caleta-Car and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, as well as the imminent departure of Malick Fofana to Crystal Palace, freed up enough salary cap space to allow Lyon — still under DNCG supervision — to complete the arrival of a player of this calibre. The club will cover half of the French international’s salary.

Capped 25 times by France and with three goals for the national team, Youssouf Fofana was not selected by Didier Deschamps for the 2026 World Cup. On the club side, his season at AC Milan ended in collective failure: the Rossoneri failed to qualify for the Ligue des Champions, and the midfielder is no longer part of Milan’s plans for the upcoming season.

Formed at AS Monaco, where he had established himself as one of Ligue 1’s most solid midfielders before joining Milan in summer 2024, Fofana returns to the French championship in a delicate personal context. At Lyon, he will have the opportunity to revive a career that has stalled in recent months.