Malick Fofana ‘Lyon made me an offer I couldn’t refuse’

In an interview with HLN, Malick Fofana has revealed how his surprising departure from Gent during the January transfer window took place. Fofana, alongside striker Gift Orban, made the move across the border to join the struggling Ligue 1 side.

The young winger was also surprised at the interest, saying that it came out of the blue during the January window. However, after conversations with the Ligue 1 side, Fofana said ‘Lyon made me an offer I couldn’t refuse and presented a perfect sporting plan’. As a result, Gent earned around €17m for the sale, with around €5m in bonuses also agreed in the deal.

Yet the French side, usually one of the strongest in the league, have been struggling this season. They have somewhat recovered to sit in 10th place, and Fofana said that their situation at the time did not concern him prior to the move. ‘That Lyon was in a relegation spot at the time? I didn’t worry about that. I knew they would never stay there’.

Since joining Lyon, 18-year-old Fofana has made nine appearances in Ligue 1, with three in the Coupe de France. He has mainly come off the bench in the league, but featured more int he cup and even grabbed his first goal for the side in the 2-1 win over Bergerac.