"I hope the transfer market closes quickly because we need to stay calm and focus on our work," Paulo Fonseca said on Saturday following a 1-1 draw with HAC. Unfortunately, things didn't go as he hoped. As the summer 2026 transfer window neared its close, Olympique Lyonnais became one of the focal points of the market.

Unwanted players gradually left the club, including Duje Ćaleta-Car (who moved to Sassuolo after his contract ended), Mamadou Diawara (loaned to Red Star), and Ainsley Maitland-Niles (who moved to Everton). Nicolas Tagliafico, who once came close to joining Juventus and Atlético Madrid, ultimately stayed. There was also the protracted departure of Malik Fofana, the Belgian winger, who agreed with both Sunderland and Crystal Palace in succession, spending all of Tuesday traveling between multiple clubs.

Following intervention from those close to him, he ultimately chose the Black Cats. Speaking to the media, Paulo Fonseca addressed the departure of left winger Fofana. He wasn't on the list of players to sell during the summer, nor was he after Afonso Moreira left. However, following their Champions League elimination, the club decided to let him go. Fonseca summarized the entire summer transfer window. These remarks were relayed by Olympique Lyonnais' official website: "I'm very satisfied. We knew we needed to sell players, and Malik Fofana was the most likely candidate to leave. We did good work and also found a good replacement in his position. As for Ainsley Maitland-Niles, we knew he might leave, and we have other players who can play that position."

He continued: "The final day of the transfer market is difficult, especially with Malik Fofana's situation. However, once you're on the pitch, these things don't change anything. The club needed to sell players. As a coach, I don't know all the details. Sometimes negotiations can drag on. My job is to understand the club's needs. What's most important is anticipating this possibility in advance, and in that respect, the club did very well. The transfer market is closed, and the players know that now we'll try to perform well with this squad. These days are certainly not easy for them, but now we can fully return our focus to what happens on the pitch. The team I have is very committed, trains well, and everyone is focused on the next game."

This former Lille coach discussed the new signing, Keito Nakamura, who joined on loan from Lens with a purchase option. "They're different. Malik Fofana is very strong in one-on-one situations and very quick. Keito Nakamura makes better decisions in the final 30 meters and is more comfortable playing together. He scored many goals for Lens last season. These two players have different styles, but Keito Nakamura is very effective. Our attacking intent won't change. However, the overall style of play of the team needs to adapt. With Malik Fofana, we needed to create one-on-one situations for him. Keito Nakamura focuses more on combination play and linking up, and the players need to stay closer together."

The Japanese forward will miss tomorrow's match against Angers at 19:00. Durán also suffered an injury. However, Paulo Fonseca still has a squad he's fairly pleased with. "This team has balance and more options than last season. I still feel the team is stronger physically and mentally. We signed players with strong personalities and mental strength, such as Bacheir, Bistram, Atakama, and Budach. The biggest difference lies in this balance and the mental stability of the entire team." He also spoke about the integration of new players and young talent.

"When new players arrive, we need to consider their characteristics and place them in the most suitable positions. This won't change our intention: we want to maintain the same team style by playing attacking football while also defending well. As a coach, I need to understand everyone's strengths and make some adjustments. I believe in every player, especially the young ones. We fielded several young players in the first match, and considering the number of games we'll play, they'll get more opportunities.

I can trust them completely. I also saw this week that we're one of the teams giving the most playing time to players under 21. However, experience remains important. Some games suit young players better, while others require more experienced players. As a coach, I need to choose the right moment. In matches like against Fenerbahçe, under such high pressure, we need to know how to protect them. They might be tactically ready, but mentally it's another story." With several key players departing this summer, Olympique Lyonnais, now ready to face new challenges, has a complete squad in place.

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