Crystal Palace will aim to win the race to sign 21-year-old Belgian international Malick Fofana from Ligue 1 club Lyon in a deadline-day move.
According to an update by David Ornstein on The Athletic, Malick Fofana has also been the subject of interest from Sunderland, with the Black Cats reaching an agreement over a deal worth over €30 million to sign the Lyon winger. However, Crystal Palace will attempt an eleventh-hour hijack, hoping to beat the Wearside club to his signature.
Malick Fofana and his rise as a Ligue 1 star
Malick Fofana has established himself as one of the best attacking prospects in Ligue 1 since joining Lyon from KAA Gent in January 2024. While the 21-year-old winger has experienced some issues over the last two and a half years, he has made significant progress through troubled times for Les Gones.
The Belgian international has made nearly 100 appearances for Lyon thus far while chipping in with 19 goals and eight assists. While the youngster’s output needs to improve, his potential has provoked interest from several well-known clubs, particularly from the Premier League.
Premier League move on the horizon
Crystal Palace have been keen on signing a pacy winger this summer, as they have been concerned about Ismaila Sarr’s long-term future. The Senegalese international has been pushing to join Liverpool, with the Merseyside club viewing him as a solution for the right flank. Fofana has thus emerged as a viable target for Crystal Palace.
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s interest in Malick Fofana has made sense. While Mikel Arteta has a stacked offensive unit, Gabriel Martinelli’s impending move to Al-Hilal has forced the North London club to pursue a wide attacker in the final hours of the sumer transfer window. Fofana thus emerged as a viable target, with his pace and potential attracting Arsenal.
As for Sunderland, the Black Cats have been eager to sign a wide attacker, as Simon Adingra faces an uncertain future at the Stadium of Light and is reportedly closing in on joining Ajax. That has compelled Regis Le Bris to push for a new wide attacker, with Fofana emerging as Sunderland’s top target to transform his team’s offensive unit.
However, with Crystal Palace attempting a late hijack, Sunderland must quickly wrap up the formalities, including Fofana’s medical tests, to win the race to sign him. Palace will now attempt to leverage the Pierre Sage connection after the duo’s time together at Lyon between 2023 and 2025.
