Youssouf Fofana is close to leaving Milan for Lyon, with the two clubs working through the final details of the deal in the closing stages of the transfer window.
The Frenchman has fallen outside Ruben Amorim's plans, one of a handful of players the coach has decided he can move on despite Fofana's status as a regular starter since arriving from Monaco in the summer of 2024. Finding him a destination was the task, and Ligue 1 now looks set to provide it.
Contacts between Milan and Lyon are ongoing to settle the last elements of the operation and get it over the line. No fee has been reported for the move.
There is a familiar face waiting for Fofana in France. Lyon are managed by Paulo Fonseca, whose spell in charge at Milan lasted only a few months before it ended. Under the Portuguese, Fofana spent most of his time in a midfield double pivot alongside the more advanced Tijjani Reijnders, so the tactical setup that suited him is one Fonseca already knows how to build around.
That reunion could smooth Fofana's return to a league he knows well, though the deal is not done yet. From here, it rests on Milan and Lyon agreeing the final terms.