Seeking minutes, Openda heads to Lyon on loan after Juventus stint

In a move announced on Tuesday, 26‑year‑old striker Lois Openda left Juventus and joined French Ligue 1 side Olympique Lyon on a season‑long loan, with the French club paying €3.5 million for his services. The loan, confirmed by Lyon on Tuesday, is described as a quest for regular playing minutes after two under‑whelming seasons in Italy.

Openda confirmed his departure during the galawedstrijd between Standard and Juventus on Saturday, where he watched from the stands and announced he would quit the Old Lady. The loan was made public by Olympique Lyon on Tuesday, confirming the Belgian forward’s exit from the Turin club.

At Lyon, Openda will link up with fellow internationals Orel Mangala, Julien Duranville and Malick Fofana, forming a new attacking core for the French side. The club hopes his experience will add depth to a squad that finished the previous campaign in the upper half of Ligue 1.

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The French club agreed to a €3.5 million fee to secure the loan, a modest sum reflecting both Lyon’s budget and Openda’s desire for game time. The deal includes an option to purchase, though the primary aim is to give the striker a platform to showcase his abilities.

Openda first broke through on the international stage while on loan from Club Brugge to Dutch side Vitesse, where he recorded 37 goals and 11 assists in 88 appearances. Successful spells at French Lens and German RB Leipzig followed, but his transfer to Juventus failed to deliver the expected impact, prompting the current move back to Ligue 1.

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The transfer window also saw Lee Kang‑in leave PSG for Atletico Madrid, Al Hilal sign Dutch winger Crysencio Summerville from West Ham, and Filipe Luis take over as head coach of AS Monaco. Meanwhile AC Milan completed the signing of Gonçalo Ramos, adding further depth to the Italian giants.

Other notable moves include Der Rekordmeister Bayern Munich’s acquisition of Nathaniel Brown, El Khannous’s permanent switch to Stuttgart, and AS Monaco’s appointment of Filipe Luis as head coach. These transactions underline a busy summer market across Europe.