Chelsea and Liverpool were reportedly linked with Malick Fofana, who now goes on to explain that he might have snubbed interest from two top teams.

Many teams had looked at Malick Fofana as a solution to improve their respective attacking setups, but the Belgian star remained at Lyon. The French side were embroiled in many key problems, including staving off a relegation to Ligue 2.

The French giants were provisionally relegated to Ligue 2 back in January following their unruly financial situation. The relegation was then confirmed upon the end of the season, but Lyon fought the battle and won the case, thus ensuring they were reinstated to Ligue 1.

Then their financial condition forced them to sell some of their key assets, including Rayan Cherki and Georges Mikautadze. The latter was not initially on their plans to be sold, and in fact, it was Fofana, who had some concrete offers from the likes of Nottingham Forest and Everton, with the winger showing no interest in joining the latter.

The main reason for Fofana snubbing the overtures of Everton and Forest revolved around his desire to join a Champions League team. Liverpool were interested in the winger as they sought a new winger following the departure of Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich.

He was also linked with Chelsea, with the Londoners looking at the Ligue 1 attacking sensation as a potential option for their young squad. The attacker’s comments that appeared on Football Transfers suggested he might have snubbed offers from two top teams because the offers were not concrete enough. At which point, staying at Lyon seemed like a good idea to continue with his development.

Fofana said, “There was interest from those two clubs, but ultimately it wasn’t concrete enough. I thought about a transfer, but I think it’s more important now that I play a lot, and that has to happen at Lyon. Because I still have progress to make.”

“Of course [I want to go to the 2026 World Cup], but I realise I still have a lot to prove. I’ve already made progress. I’m now more decisive and more involved in the game.

“I’m just a normal lad and I’m keeping my cool. I don’t focus on the media either, I just do what I love to do: dribble and score.”

Lyon did lean towards keeping Fofana in the end, but that may not end their problems with finances when the next summer window opens. They still have work to do to balance their money issues, and the Ligue 1 attacking sensation being their most valued asset at the moment, a future sale is still very much possible.

Liverpool and Chelsea may show an interest in the future, and depending on how Fofana has developed by next summer, a move could be on the cards. For now, he will want to have a good season with Lyon and keep making progress in his game.