Lyon’s fall in Ligue 1 has been well-documented here at SBOTOP. Although they’re showing signs of life lately, Les Gones’ mission to maintain their French top-flight status is far from finished following their recent run of Ligue 1 2024 results.
That is why Lyon have been somewhat busy in the winter transfer window, which has gotten them two key pieces that will surely help their cause.
Speaking of transfers, it’s that time of the season when Lille are faced with a decision regarding their top striker’s future with the club because rival teams are knocking on their door again.
And last but not least, we will also talk about what happened during the high-profile matchup between two teams in the top three of the standings.
Lyon get a Gift and a vet
Les Gones have managed to sign Nemanja Matic and Gift Orban. Matic will make his debut soon, while Orban already played his first match with his new club last Saturday.
Matic was actually with Rennes for the first half of the 2023-24 campaign after he joined from AS Roma last summer, but the Serbian international experienced a major falling out with the club after the upper management reportedly failed to fulfill their promises over his kids’ education.
The 35-year-old did not turn up for several first-team training sessions because of this, much to the fury of the club.
The veteran midfielder insists that he’s far from done playing football, and this move to Lyon gives him a chance to save his reputation. Matic will certainly bring a wealth of experience to the club with his long stints with both Chelsea and Manchester United.
As for Orban, he brings youthful energy to Lyon’s frontline. The 21-year-old finished 2023 as the most prolific Nigerian international in Europe, having scored 32 goals for KAA Gent last year.
Orban becomes the first Nigerian footballer in Lyon’s history after signing a four-year contract with Les Gones for a transfer fee of €12 million plus a potential €8 million in add-ons and a 20-per cent sell-on clause.
Lyon are now on a two-game losing streak after winning three straight league games in December. As a result, Pierre Sage’s men are back in the dreaded drop zone, sitting in 16th place with 16 points, which is not a great look at their Ligue 1 2024 odds of survival.
David a hot commodity again in the transfer market
David’s current Lille deal runs until 2025, so big-name teams like Chelsea, Napoli, AC Milan, and Atletico Madrid are reportedly monitoring him. However, he won’t be sold for cheap, if ever, as his stock has risen substantially over the past few seasons.
According to reports, Les Dogues will only sell Jonathan David for at least €60 million.
The 24-year-old Canadian international has six goals and one assist to lead Lille this season, which are currently fifth in the Ligue 1 standings. David has picked up form after a rough start to the season, as he has scored four goals in his last six league outings.
Jonathan David may be fully focused on bringing Lille back to European competition this year, but he isn’t ruling out any potential moves outside of Ligue 1 in the near future.
“When you’re young, these are the clubs you watch and think about. It’s flattering, and I appreciate that,” said David in an interview with Telefoot when asked about the links with various teams.
PSG held to a draw by upward Brest
PSG dropped points at home for the first time since losing to Nice in September after a 2-2 draw against Brest last night.
Marco Asensio and Randal Kolo Muani gave the Ligue 1 defending champions a two-goal lead in the first half, but they gave up two goals in the second half to Brest’s Mahdi Camara and Mathias Pereira Lage.
The Parisiens’ frustrations were epitomised by the ejection of Bradley Barcola, who was sent off moments from full-time after being booked twice.
Ligue 1 Golden Boot frontrunner Kylian Mbappe, meanwhile, was scoreless for the first time in six games across all competitions in what was a rather anonymous performance.
With the draw, Brest are now unbeaten in 10 straight matches in all competitions as they continue to push for a maiden Champions League berth.
Eric Roy’s men have improved to third place as a result, only trailing by three points against second-seeded Nice.
PSG, on the other hand, are still safe at the top, with at least a six-point advantage over the rest of the chasing pack.
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