Nottingham Forest have an agreement with Olympique Lyon for Malick Fofana, but the Belgian talent is holding out for a Champions League club.

Nottingham Forest are looking to make some statement signings in the ongoing transfer window after having secured European football for next season. Olympique Lyon’s Malick Fofana is one of their top targets as they look to add more firepower to their attack.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Tricky Trees have agreed a deal with the French club to sign the Belgian international. However, they haven’t been able to convince Fofana to join them so far. The player is looking to join a bigger club; he wants to move to a club that regularly features in the Champions League.

Fofana came up the ranks and made a name for himself while playing for KAA Gent’s first team before joining Lyon at the start of 2024. He made an instant impact at the French club, and his impressive rise hasn’t gone unnoticed.

So far, he has featured in 62 matches for them and has contributed towards 22 goals. At just 20, he has managed to break into the Belgian national team, which certainly speaks a lot about the kind of talent he is.

While he prefers playing on the left flank, he is quite effective all across the front line. While his contract at Lyon runs until the summer of 2028, the young winger could be on the move this summer, amidst interest from clubs across Europe.

Nottingham strike a deal with Lyon

Nottingham Forest are one of the clubs that have been working on a potential deal for some time. The Tricky Trees had a fantastic 2024/25 season as they secured a seventh-placed finish and will be competing in Europe next season.

They want to add more firepower to their squad, and Fofana has been their priority target for some time. After long-drawn negotiations, they have an agreement in place with Lyon. But, they haven’t been able to convince the 20-year-old.

Fofana wants Champions League football

Missing out on a Champions League spot by the smallest of margins seems to have cost them big time, as the player is holding out for a club that features in Europe’s biggest club competition. Chelsea are one of the clubs that are interested in his services.

They certainly need more quality on the flanks, and he is an ideal fit for their project that revolves around signing the best young stars. Meanwhile, there is interest from Bayern Munich as well as Napoli. Both European giants have initiated contact as they look to learn more about a potential transfer.