Deal off! AC Milan midfielder's Ligue 1 return explodes at the last second
The Youssouf Fofana saga has ended in a late twist that nobody in Lyon wanted: the deadline day return to Ligue 1 is off.
Details: According to Fabrizio Romano, Fofana's move to Olympique Lyon has collapsed, with both clubs confirming the news. Hours earlier the same Romano had announced a here we go on a loan with a €12 million buy option after Fofana said yes to OL. The French international will now assess proposals from Turkey.
The collapse is brutal but not entirely surprising. Milan and Lyon spent the day stuck on the split of the player's salary, with Gianluca Di Marzio reporting snags that threatened to wreck everything before the Italian window shut at 20:00 CEST. That deadline has now passed, and the paperwork never made it through. For Fofana, 27, it is a second failed attempt to leave San Siro this summer after Galatasaray and Roma had already circled. He joined Milan from Monaco in 2024 for around €25 million on a contract until 2028, then slipped down the pecking order with two goals and three assists in 33 Serie A matches last season. Lyon, who waved goodbye to winger Malick Fofana in a €30 million deal with Sunderland on the same day, are left without the midfield reinforcement they thought they had locked in.
It's worth noting that the Turkish window remains a live option: Galatasaray had been pushing for the France international for days, and Fofana will now sit down to study those proposals after the Lyon door slammed shut.
Reminder: Here we go! AC Milan midfielder seals sensational Ligue 1 return on deadline day.
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
