Fonseca says OL has more options despite Fofana’s exit

Paulo Fonseca heads into the match against Auxerre this Friday with a clear message: despite the departure of Malick Fofana, Olympique Lyonnais are not short on options. As L'Équipe reports, the coach is happy with the transfer window and believes the team is stronger than last season, aiming to get their momentum back in Ligue 1.

Transfers set the tone

The backdrop is familiar for Lyon. On 1 September 2025, Georges Mikautadze was sold to Villarreal on the last day of the window to help balance the books after a period of heavy losses, according to the same account from L'Équipe. A year later, the club again sold late in the day for more than €35 million (including bonuses), and while Fofana’s exit was described as chaotic, the article stresses the squad hasn’t been left without resources.

Back on track vs Auxerre

With Auxerre as the immediate test, Fonseca ties his assessment of the market to a clear sporting need: restart their run and regain rhythm. L'Équipe underlines that Fofana’s transfer happened under “dantean” circumstances, but that, in the coach’s view, the OL are better equipped than last term.

Now the focus shifts to the pitch: with more flexibility to manage matches, Lyon will try to turn this setup into points and re-establish themselves in the league.