Mahamadou Diawara leaves Lyon for Red Star FC in Ligue 2 loan move

French-Malian midfielder Mahamadou Diawara has joined Red Star FC from Lyon on loan, completing a move to the Ligue 2 club on 1 September 2026.

The 21-year-old central midfielder will remain with Red Star until 30 June 2027. Diawara is left-footed and stands 1.87m tall, adding a physically imposing option to the club’s midfield for the 2026-27 campaign.

Diawara moves to Red Star after returning to Lyon from a loan spell at Belgian side Royal Antwerp. He spent the 2025-26 season with Antwerp, with the deal including a €250,000 loan fee, before returning to the French club at the end of June.

His latest switch is the fourth loan move of his career. Before joining Antwerp, Diawara spent part of the 2024-25 season with Le Havre AC, also on loan from Lyon. He returned to Lyon in June 2025 before moving abroad later that year.

Diawara joined Lyon from Paris Saint-Germain Under-19s in July 2023 on a free transfer. He had previously progressed through PSG’s youth system after beginning his development with Fleury’s youth side.

The move takes Diawara from Ligue 1 to Ligue 2, with Red Star adding a midfielder whose career has so far included experience in France’s top two divisions and Belgian football. He joins the club with a market value of €1m.

Diawara’s move comes at the start of the 2026-27 season. Red Star have listed him as a central midfielder, while his contract arrangements indicate that he is due to return to Lyon when the loan ends on 30 June 2027.

The France- and Mali-qualified player has not yet made an appearance for Red Star in Ligue 2 or in the Champions League qualifying competition during the current campaign. His move was registered on 1 September, making the loan agreement official.

Diawara’s club career began in the Paris Saint-Germain academy, where he moved through the Under-17 and Under-19 teams before switching to Lyon. His time at Lyon has since included temporary spells with Le Havre and Antwerp, followed by the latest loan to Red Star.

Mahamadou Diawara is therefore a Red Star FC player on loan from Lyon until 30 June 2027.