The left wing of OL is well stocked this season, with the young Malick Fofana (20) and the equally young Afonso Moreira (20). This summer, however, Fofana’s departure seems inevitable — he is highly sought after and represents the squad’s greatest market asset. Such a move would leave a gap, because beyond his overall influence on the game, Malick Fofana has produced more than 25 G/A in only 3,850 minutes (the equivalent of 43 matches), i.e. 0.58 G/A per 90.
Since Fofana’s injury, Afonso Moreira has impressively taken over the role. Despite having very few senior minutes beforehand, he has emerged as the real revelation on the Lyon side, delivering a completely unexpected level of performance — both in his contribution to play, his tireless work rate, and his end product (9 G/A in 830 minutes!). However, the young Portuguese winger offers no long-term guarantees, and it will be important not to overuse him too quickly. His fearlessness will be valuable on many occasions, but a more mature profile — someone capable of bringing calm and experience in difficult matches — would be very welcome.
The profiles of the two wingers currently under contract at the club are quite similar: small, very fast players who thrive in one-on-one duels or by attacking space in behind.