Earlier this week, French football was rocked by the news that Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon) will be relegated to Ligue 2 for 2025/2026.
The relegation was handed to Lyon by the DNCG, French football’s financial watchdog, pending an appeal.
The instability surrounding one of France’s biggest and most historic clubs represents misery for fans of Les Gones.
At the same time, this represents an opportunity for other clubs who will inevitably look to capitalise on Lyon’s current situation.
One player who had been drawing plenty of interest in the weeks leading up to this bombshell news is Malick Fofana (169cm/5’7”, 60kg/132lbs).
The 20-year-old winger has been most heavily linked to Liverpool, though Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United have also recently been mentioned as potential destinations for the young Belgium international.
The DNCG’s decision has put those clubs, and undoubtedly others, on alert to Lyon talent, including Fofana, with potential cut-price deals to be secured amid the chaos surrounding the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes club.
This player analysis and scout report article aims to paint a clear picture of Malick Fofana style of play.
We’ll detail what kind of winger Fofana is, the role he played within Lyon tactics, and where his key strengths and weaknesses lie.
Who Is Malick Fofana?
In January 2024, Lyon spent €19.5m to sign Fofana from KAA Gent, the club where the young winger had developed since 2014.
Transfermarkt valued the player at €8m at the time, though that valuation has grown to €30m during his 18 months at Groupama Stadium.
Last season, Fofana’s first full season at Lyon, the winger played just over half of all available Ligue 1 minutes for Les Gones, scoring five goals and providing four assists.
Looking at the pizza chart graphic in Figure 1, Fofana primarily stands out for his strong attacking contributions.
