Chelsea and Liverpool are vying to sign Olympique Lyon star Malick Fofana next year

Olympique Lyon found themselves in difficult waters financially at the start of the year and their relegation to Ligue 2 was reversed by the French Football Federation for monetary reasons, although they will need to balance their books sooner rather than later.

That means virtually no player from their squad has a secure future, not least Malick Fofana, who is one of their brightest young talents and could potentially be used as a cash cow next year to guarantee a vital cash injection into the club.

Mark Brus reported this that Chelsea and Liverpool are both interested in signing the Belgium international next year, and although he is valued at £26 million on TransfermarktLyon may feel they can demand a significantly higher fee.

Liverpool are likely to win the race for Fofana

Chelsea are willing to match Liverpool for Malick Fofana, but with more than enough right-wing and left-wing players in their squad, their focus in next year’s transfer windows will likely be on expanding their defense and midfield departments.

Unless one or two players leave, or Enzo Maresca specifically requests the signing of Fofana, it is difficult to foresee them entering into negotiations for the player, especially if that involves a bidding war with Liverpool.

However, with Mohamed Salah reaching the end of his career, the Reds could be eyeing the addition of Fofana to the team, and could be willing to pay a significant sum to secure his move from Chelsea sometime in 2026.

Arne Slot has done well to develop a number of young players during his time at Anfield, and Fofana’s speed, dribbling and agility, coupled with the ability to succeed in one-on-ones and tight spaces, could also make him an ideal fit in the Dutchman’s system.

Liverpool have shown a willingness to spend money on players during the recently concluded transfer window, so Fofana’s asking price, as long as it remains reasonable, would likely be an amount that the defending Premier League champions would be willing to pay.