Malick Fofana: Lyon’s Belgian Wonderkid Primed for a Big Move
France is widely regarded as the most consistent producer of young, first-team-ready talents that go on to be world-class. That reputation was earned on the back of one key thing that isn’t often talked about, with respect to its top division, Ligue 1; the fact that they give so many young players a platform to excel. No other top 5 league sees as many youngsters starting games across the top division or getting so many minutes.
They get to rack up first-team experience, and deal with the pressure and quality of a top 5 league without being too much in the spotlight from global fans and the press. That helps them to develop away from too much noise and stay grounded until they enter a new level that garners them attention.
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Outside the top 5 leagues though, there is another country that mirrors a lot of what the French continue to achieve with youngsters; Belgium. Along with the Netherlands, Belgium is a premium location for youngsters, either to come through academies and get quality minutes in top-flight football or to pass through in their development.
The country’s famed golden generation that reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup consisted of a bunch of players who got a lot of minutes in the Jupiler Pro League as youngsters, before going on to do great things at bigger clubs. Vincent Kompany, Thibaut Courtois, Axel Witsel, Kevin De Bruyne, and Romelu Lukaku are just some of the names that got sufficient minutes as teenagers.
That trend has continued with the likes of Jérémy Doku, Loïs Openda, and Charles De Ketelaere, and another player who has heavily benefitted from this is Malick Fofana, the flying forward of Lyon. In January 2024, the troubled French club signed him for €17 million plus €5 million in add-ons in hopes that he would help turn around their fortunes. It was the biggest of the splashes they made in the window to salvage their season as they languished around the relegation zone.
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When a club like Lyon spends that much to bring an 18-year-old (he turned 19 in March) to come save their season, then there is no question that the player is special. It didn’t take long for him to get off the mark for his new club, scoring in only his second game, in the Coupe de France against Bergerac.
From that point on, he didn’t look back, contributing immensely mostly off the bench to a 2nd half of the season comeback that saw the club rise into European positions, from the dead. His performances in the run-in were a particular delight, culminating in him scoring a late winner against Monaco and an equaliser against Lille in an epic 4-3 win the next game.
Malick Fofana was born in Aalst, a city in the Flemish region of Belgium. He joined the reputable Gent academy as a 9-year-old, moving through the ranks until he made his first team debut at 17, before making his first start the week after. In 2 years with the first team, he played 61 games, ultimately attracting the attention of Lyon with his displays.
Holding Guinean and Filipino heritage, he chose to represent the country of his birth. Having played for Belgium at the U15, U17, U18, U19, U20, and U21 levels, Fofana was recently given his maiden call-up to the Belgian national team by Domenico Tedesco. He replaced Doku in their UEFA Nations League match vs. Italy on October 10, 2024, coming on for the final 10 minutes of a 2-2 draw in Rome.
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Fofana is an explosive winger, the type of which many teams will be desperately looking for over the next decade. Primarily a left winger, he is a player who is not scared to take on his man every time, playing with a lot of purpose, looking to drive towards the opposition goal at every opportunity, and he also has smart movement and anticipation.
He combines well with teammates and can read situations quite well, able to know when to drive to the byline and when to cut in and shoot or pass. That relative maturity in decision-making is perhaps the reason why he rose up the ranks so quickly, coupled with his explosiveness. When the chips are down, the explosive, purposeful players come to the fore. They are the ones who take the risks, the ones willing to disrupt blocks and make something happen.
Fofana’s ball-striking is at a decent level, although there is still room for improvement. The signs of improvement are there, but once he gets to the required level, he could become quite scary. He would be scoring a lot more than he currently does, having racked up 7 goals and 3 assists in 22 appearances thus far.
His 7 goals so far are a solid tally for a youngster, and he is expected to have scored between 12-15 once the season is done. Ultimately, he could become a 20-goal winger in a year or two, if his development continues at the current pace. Even with his inconsistent finishing, he’s still emerged as a key figure for a Lyon side that currently finds itself in fifth place in Ligue 1.
As is said of all explosive wingers, they have to also develop other aspects of their game that they can rely on when the explosiveness goes. Young players tend to have the energy and drive that favours explosiveness, but usually, around 25, it starts to slow down. That is when they are expected to have matured enough to pick their moments, when the explosiveness is the weapon to go with or when the other aspects must be used.
One area that Malick seemed to struggle with last season, albeit with limited starts, is his chance creation. He created only 1 big chance in his 17 league appearances, in which only 4 of them were starts. So far this season, he has already created 3 in 7 starts and 13 total appearances. He will perhaps benefit even more from learning to pause and examine all his options before playing the pass.
So far this season, Malick has shown that he is already starter material. He is ready. In his first 6 league games, he started just 1. In the other 7 games, he has started 6. Clearly, his manager, Pierre Sage, can see it too. Teams are keenly watching as things unfold in Lyon, after their case with French Football’s financial watchdog, DNCG, produced a damning verdict; they must sell or risk relegation by the end of the season.
Of course, Rayan Cherki is top of the list of targets for clubs around Europe looking to take advantage of the situation. Malick Fofana is near the top; with reports suggesting that Arsenal are keen on his signature. If he continues his good form, a move might be on the cards in the summer.
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One thing is clear; Malick Fofana has huge potential. His directness, solid technical qualities, and his potential to be a good goalscorer make him irresistible. At just 19, and with a lot of first-team experience already, there are great things ahead for the kid. We might be looking at Europe’s next big winger and maybe even the answer to Belgium’s problems.
Regardless of their financial difficulties, Lyon were always going to find it hard to hold on to him. They probably hoped to flip him for a profit in the first place, after extracting a couple of good seasons out of him. It remains to be seen what the future holds for this golden talent.
By: Astorre S. Cerebróne / @Cerebrone
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Baptiste Fernandez / Icon Sport