Will go, will not go?
The future of Memphis Depay but also that of Houssem Aouar or Moussa Dembélé is the common thread of the transfer window of Lyon which plays in Bordeaux, Friday (9:00 p.m.) with a team whose profile could be very different after October 5, at the end transfer window.
For now, these three major players in the Lyon workforce are still there and, despite rumors, offers are not flowing in a market rendered sluggish by the health crisis.
Only defenders Fernando Marçal and Rafael left OL respectively for Wolverhampton and Basaksehir Istanbul, while right-back Kenny Tete and goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu are also preparing to leave, towards Fulham for the first and AC Milan for the second.
"We have no proposal for Memphis," sporting director Juninho assured RMC this week as the Dutchman is announced in Barcelona.
The captain of OL (26 years old), at the end of his contract next June, did not extend despite the offer made by the Rhone club.
“If a proposal comes from Barcelona, we'll have to think it over.
Today, we are also able to keep Memphis sportingly and use it until the end of the season before losing it free, ”anticipates“ Juni ”.
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No offers ... for the moment
"Are we keeping Memphis and he's helping us as the captain and talented player that he is by getting us in the best position in the league?"
Or do we accept the transfer and take the money to make other investments? ”Asks the former OL playing master, who has“ the feeling that the player, in position by force, does not want to prolong ”, even if Lyon has the means to make the effort.
Regarding Aouar and Dembélé, Juninho notes, here too, the absence of a concrete offer.
"I would not say that the door is open, it is certain that we will not lose the three at the same time", warns the sporting director.
"We talk a lot about + bankable + players but the coach always wants those who play the least who leave because, with fewer matches, without the European Cup, they will play even less", for his part, warned Rudi Garcia at a press conference on Wednesday.
“But the coach must also adapt and do with the workforce at his disposal.
That's what I'm going to do and find solutions, ”he added, aware that his team will probably not be the same in four weeks after the end of the transfer window.
The states of soul of Reine-Adelaide
In addition, OL must also manage the moods of Jeff Reine-Adelaide, recruited by Lyon in Angers a year ago for 25 million euros.
Victim of a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the right knee in December, he has yet to confirm his full potential despite an encouraging start.
But the midfielder trained in Lens and passed by Arsenal complained to several media of not playing enough, while he is unavailable for the trip to Bordeaux after being injured in the Under-21 selection.
"It's a surprise for us because we had never mentioned these things," notes Juninho, referring to "an incredible lack of experience" on the part of Reine-Adelaide, coveted by Rennes.
A terrible clumsiness especially vis-à-vis the versatile Lyon public, who, even largely absent from the stands because of Covid-19, is still active on social networks.
More generally, the club has started its downsizing of a workforce that will have, at most, only 44 matches to play this season.
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This season without Europe, unprecedented since 1996-1997, will not help OL to attract top players and the idea will rather be to replace any starters with young talents with great potential like the Uruguayan from Peñarol Montevideo. Facundo Pellistri (18 years old).
Brazilian international Lucas Paqueta (23) from AC Milan is also targeted.
In the meantime, Lyon is sailing on sight, seeking to negotiate its start to the championship, with the idea of a return to the Champions League from next season.
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