Lyon winger Malick Fofana "belongs" at a cub like Liverpool or Manchester City, according to his agent, with the Belgium international earning comparisons to Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal. The youngster's representative revealed he had offers from Everton and Fulham but opted to reject the Premier League duo in order to continue his development in Ligue 1.
Fofana to join BIG clubs in future
Currently a vital cog in Ligue 1 club Lyon, Fofana has been the talk of the town in France. Frederico Pena, the general manager of Roc Nation, the agency that manages Fofana, recently opened up in an interview, where he predicted that Liverpool, City and Bayern are the clubs where the 21-year-old belongs. Deals from two other Premier League outfits, namely Everton and Fulham, were thwarted because the player believes he is valued at Lyon and did not want to risk it.
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In an interview with , Pena said: "We discovered Fofana through our own scouting team. He's an exceptional talent who is gradually becoming ready for a transfer. Next year, the World Cup will be held in the United States. We want to develop players who can shine there. Fofana fits that profile perfectly."
While Fofana is growing, he is yet to become a star. Pena highlighted what he wants for the Lyon winger and even compared him to top players like Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal and former City great Kevin De Bruyne. He stated: "We want to get Fofana out of his shell. He has the potential to be a world star like Mbappe, Yamal, or De Bruyne, but then you also have to become a personality off the pitch. That's what we want to work on together."
This season is vital for Fofana
Pena opined that this season is crucial for Fofana. On one hand, he will get continental exposure through the Europa League for Lyon. On the other, he would be representing Belgium in the World Cup next year. Fofana wants to prove his worth at the quadrennial event, and success at the same time can help him secure a deal among the best and big clubs in the world.
Pena said: "This is the season Fofana wants to show himself to the world, especially at the World Cup. If he succeeds, he can go from Lyon to a top ten club. We strongly believe in him at Roc Nation. Liverpool, Bayern, Man City – those are the clubs he belongs at."
AFPWhen will Fofana play next?
Fofana is currently at the Belgium camp and recorded an appearance from the bench against North Macedonia. He is expected to feature against Wales on Monday.