While Pavel Sulč (25) decided to stay at Olympique Lyonnais this summer, for a long time it looked as though he would be leaving. And the Czech player had no shortage of suitors. Not only did Leeds United and Wrexham both express an interest in signing the versatile midfielder, but Juventus also tried to persuade him to move to Italy.

“When Juventus approached me, it felt a bit like a dream,” Sulč explained in an interview with Seznam Zpravy. “A big club, a fantastic history, a magnificent stadium, Italy, a strong Czech presence… That’s exactly what appealed to my girlfriend Natali and me.”

However, whilst his departure seemed all but certain – with Lyon looking to recoup funds from the sale of some of their most valuable assets – Sulč ultimately continued his adventure in the Rhône region, without seeing it as inevitable. “If the two clubs had reached an agreement, I certainly wouldn’t have been against it,” he admits. “But the offer wasn’t attractive enough, so it fell through. I stayed focused on Lyon, to be as useful as possible there.”

At Lyon, where he enjoyed a remarkable 2025-26 season (14 goals and seven assists in 38 matches across all competitions), Sulč was able to count on his captain, Corentin Tolisso (32), to support him in his decision. “Our captain, Coco Tolisso, would often come and see me and say: ‘If you leave, I’ll understand, but I really hope you’ll stay.’”