Guinea international Mohamed Bayo has left French side Lille on loan to join Turkish Super Lig outfit Gaziantep FK, where he will play under the guidance of former Lille striker Burak Yılmaz.
The 26-year-old forward, who returned to LOSC this summer following a temporary spell at Belgian champions Royal Antwerp, has been sent out once again in search of regular game time.
The loan agreement, finalised between the two clubs, will keep him in Turkey for the remainder of the season, though no option to buy has been included in the deal.
Gaziantep announced the signing in a formal statement, confirming Bayo’s arrival was completed in the presence of the club’s president, Memik Yılmaz.
Gaziantep Football Club has reached an agreement with the player and his club for the loan transfer of Mohamed Bayo.
Our new transfer has signed his official contract, which binds him to our club for one year.Our president, Memik Yilmaz, attended the ceremony. We welcome Mohamed Bayo and wish him every success under our coat of arms,the statement read.
Bayo joined Lille in 2022 from Clermont Foot, but he has struggled to establish himself as a consistent starter in northern France.
Despite flashes of his goalscoring potential, competition for attacking places at LOSC has limited his opportunities.
His season-long loan at Antwerp gave him a taste of European football, though it did not yield the breakout campaign Lille had hoped for.
At Gaziantep, Bayo will work under Burak Yılmaz, who took over as head coach earlier this year after a brief but memorable spell as a player at Lille, where he won the Ligue 1 title in 2021.
The Turkish side will hope that Yılmaz’s experience and attacking philosophy can help reignite the Guinean forward’s career.
Still contracted to Lille until 2027, Bayo’s long-term future remains tied to the French club, but his immediate challenge lies in Turkey, where he will be expected to deliver goals and lead the line in a competitive Süper Lig campaign.
For Bayo, the move represents both a fresh opportunity and a crucial test.
Success at Gaziantep could not only bolster his international prospects with Guinea but also help him revive his standing at Lille, where he remains on the books for the next three years.
With his new chapter now confirmed, all eyes will be on whether the Guinean striker can rediscover the prolific form that once made him one of Ligue 1’s most promising forwards.
