Malick Fofana attracting interest from Leipzig and Atalanta

Malick Fofana’s future is becoming one of Lyon’s main late-summer talking points, with RB Leipzig and Atalanta Bergamo now monitoring the Belgian winger.

The 21-year-old has not had an easy season because of injuries, but his talent still stands out strongly across Europe.

Leipzig have been following him for several days as they prepare for the possible exit of Yan Diomande, who is being linked with Real Madrid. The German club has placed Fofana on a shortlist of attacking targets and is considering a deal that could be worth between 20 and 30 million euros. Atalanta have also stepped into the race as they look for pace and creativity on the wings.

On 10 January 2024, Fofana joined Ligue 1 side Lyon for a fee of €17 million, plus €5 million in add-ons, and a 20% sell-on clause on a future sale in favor of Gent; he signed a contract until June 2028 with the French club. In the process, he became the third Belgian player in the history of Lyon, following Eric Deflandre and Jason Denayer

Fofana’s progress had been slowed by an injury that ruled him out of the 2026 World Cup, but he is now working his way back under Paulo Fonseca. After a disrupted pre-season, he has returned in the recent friendlies and is trying to reclaim a key role in Lyon’s attack.

Lyon must now decide whether to resist offers or cash in on a player who was not expected to leave this summer.