Lyon eye Loïs Openda as Juventus seek exit for €42m striker

Loïs Openda’s Juventus nightmare may finally end this summer after the Belgian striker’s single Serie A start and four substitute minutes since January. The €42 million Juventus paid for Openda in 2023 was triggered as a mandatory buy option, leaving the club with a four-year contract until 2030 for a player who has scored twice in his last 22 league games.

Openda’s arrival at Juventus coincided with a personal slump: one league start and one substitute appearance in eleven Serie A games this calendar year. The €42 million fee—paid as a non-negotiable obligation—now forces Juventus to offload the player despite his negligible impact on the pitch.

Sky Italia reports Olympique Lyonnais have entered the race for Openda, emerging as the most concrete candidate to sign the Belgian despite his two-goal Serie A season. Lyon’s interest follows the club’s pursuit of a frontline reshuffle, with Openda joining projected signings Rayan Cherki and Amine Adli in their attacking plans.

The potential move would reunite Openda with Ligue 1, where he scored 21 goals in 38 games for Lens during the 2022/23 season. His prior stints at Vitesse and RB Leipzig also produced 12 goals in 41 Eredivisie and Bundesliga appearances combined.

For Juventus, the €42 million outlay has become a financial and sporting miscalculation. The club activated the mandatory clause immediately after Openda’s arrival, locking him in until 2030 despite his lack of minutes or goals.

Lyon’s pursuit hinges on negotiating a transfer fee with Juventus, with the Italian club still holding Openda’s registration. A deal would allow Openda to leave Serie A after one season marred by minimal playing time and zero impact.

Openda’s agent has not commented publicly on the reported Lyon interest. The striker’s future remains tied to Juventus’s willingness to accept a lower-than-expected exit valuation after just one year in Turin.

If the move materialises, Openda would join Lyon alongside Rayan Cherki and Amine Adli, forming a new attacking trio under manager Fabio Grosso. The club’s hierarchy has prioritised frontline reinforcements following a 2023/24 campaign that saw them finish sixth in Ligue 1.