Lyon rule out January sale of Belgian-Guinean forward Malick Fofana

French Ligue 1 outfit Olympique Lyon have decided not to sell Belgian forward of Guinean descent Malick Fofana in the winter transfer window.

The 20-year-old suffered a serious ankle sprain during Lyon’s victory over RC Strasbourg Alsace at the end of October and is expected to be sidelined for about three months. His return could coincide with the winter transfer window, but the club has made it clear that Fofana is not for sale.

“The sale of Fofana has never been on the table for January,” Lyon CEO Michael Gerlinger told Ligue 1 Plus.

However, he admitted that the club’s financial situation remains challenging.

“Things aren’t going super well. We’ll see what we can do,” Gerlinger added.

Despite Lyon’s financial struggles, the CEO reiterated that Fofana is not among the players considered for sale.

The French club has faced a turbulent period, having only been reinstated in Ligue 1 after an administrative relegation was overturned on appeal.

Financial commitments made to the DNCG and UEFA forced Lyon to part ways with several key players over the summer, including Rayan Cherki and Georges Mikautadze.

It now appears the club wants to keep its top players.