Lyon: the failure that will benefit young people
Leaving to play a new season without the Champions League, Olympique Lyonnais risks changing the composition of its workforce. Good news for young people from the training center.
Maxence Caqueret and Castello Lukeba represent the future of OL.
Admittedly, Olympique Lyonnais had a great success in Marseille (3-0) on Sunday. But its original objective will probably not be achieved.
The Rhone club is still 7 points behind on the Ligue 1 podium just 3 days from the end. A basket almost impossible to fill.
Departures planned
Lyon is therefore heading for a 3rd consecutive season without Champions League revenue. And risk suffering the consequences during the next transfer window.
Indeed, L’Equipe is planning many changes in the workforce. We can think that the management will have to accept certain departures for sporting and financial reasons. After Bruno Guimares in January, players like Lucas Paqueta, Houssem Aouar and Lo Dubois could become available. Just like the flop Jrme Boateng and Jason Denayer, at the end of the contract.
Caqueret at the center of the project
Of course, OL are getting stronger on the transfer market. But these possible outings will leave more room for young people. It must be said that this strategy has worked rather well in the past. The Lyon training center, considered one of the best in France, if not in Europe, supports future internationals such as Samuel Umtiti, Corentin Tolisso, Nabil Fekir and Karim Benzema.
It’s hard to say whether the current generation will follow a similar trajectory. In any case, some have at least proven themselves in Ligue 1. At the Vélodrome, for example, Malo Gusto and Castello Lukeba have confirmed their potential. Striker Bradley Barcola did not shine as much on Sunday, but will certainly show his advantage in less difficult encounters. After all, Maxence Caqueret also had some complicated times before becoming an indisputable starter.
The U19s will also be rewarded
As proof, OL are preparing to extend his contract, offer him one of the highest salaries in the squad and build the team around him. All with the promise that he will one day wear the captain’s armband. A destiny dreamed of by attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki, who will play more next season as competition will be less fierce in his sector, announces the sports daily.
All these young people will obviously be supervised by more experienced players, or by rookies like Alexandre Lacazette, the striker at the end of the Arsenal contract that OL are trying to recover. Add that to a few newcomers from the Gambardella Cup finalist team this season, and Lyon could be moving towards a less ambitious and yet attractive project. Not sure that coach Peter Bosz signed for this challenge last summer. But nothing says that OL will choose the Dutchman for this new cycle.
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