Lois Openda to Join Olympique Lyon on Loan from Juventus

One of European football’s most intriguing loan stories of the summer is drawing to a close. Juventus’ Loïs Openda is set to join Olympique Lyonnais, with the Belgian expected to complete a move to Les Gones in the coming hours on a loan deal with an option to buy. A verbal agreement is firmly in place, with Lyon covering the salary and paying around €3m as a loan fee to facilitate the deal.

Who is Loïs Openda?

Ikoma-Loïs Openda was born on 16 February 2000 in Liège, Belgium. He stands at 1.75m and plays as a striker.

Openda has emerged as one of Europe’s most dynamic strikers, blending raw speed, clinical finishing, and relentless work ethic into a career that has seen him rise from modest beginnings in Liège to commanding multimillion-euro transfers across top leagues.

Lois started his senior career at Club Brugge in 2018 and spent four years at the club including an extended loan spell at Vitesse in the Netherlands. In July 2022 he signed a five-year deal at French club Lens.

Known for his explosive pace — often clocked as the fastest in the Bundesliga — Openda scored over 50 goals in the last three seasons alone, drawing comparisons to idols like Didier Drogba for his power and precision in front of goal.

Throughout his career, Openda has won three titles: the Super Cup (2023/24) with RB Leipzig and the First Division A (2019/20) and Super Cup (2018/19) with Club Brugge.

Transfer at a Glance

Career Timeline

A Difficult Season at Juventus

The Belgian forward is not part of Luciano Spalletti’s plans heading into the 2026–27 season after a disappointing first season in Serie A, scoring just one goal from 24 league outings.

Despite a shortage at centre-forward at times in the second half of the 2025–26 season, Openda was at the lower end of Spalletti’s striking hierarchy, despite the fact that he had come in at a cost of over €40m during the summer transfer window.

After a disappointing first season, and having cost €43.9m between his loan and transfer fees, Juventus are in a difficult position when it comes to negotiating a sale. For this reason, Openda is expected to leave on loan with an option, rather than an obligation to buy.

Juventus Career Stats (2025/26 — Serie A)

The Deal: How It Came Together

According to reports out of France and Italy, Juventus are close to finalising a deal with Olympique Lyonnais to send Openda on a season-long loan spell with an option to buy. Openda is very much open to joining Lyon, according to L’Equipe, with the chance to play in the Champions League on the table for the French side if they are to get through the qualification phase.

Journalist Sacha Tavolieri reports that the two clubs are in the final phase of talks over a loan agreement that will include an option to buy. Lois Openda is closing in on a move to Lyon, with his future now looking increasingly likely to continue away from Juventus.

The key point still being discussed is the value of the purchase clause, which is expected to be set between €25 and €30 million. Lyon and Juventus are working to find a figure that reflects Openda’s potential while remaining manageable for the French side’s finances.

Lyon want a deal before the 30 July registration deadline for Champions League qualifiers.

Salary Structure

Talks with Juventus cover the structure of the loan, with or without an option to buy, and how to split his salary. The forward earns about €8 million per year gross. If completed, OL would pay a small part, with Juventus covering the majority, plus a loan fee.

On the player’s side, an agreement with the Belgian international is said to be very close, with personal terms largely settled.

Why Lyon?

After revisiting options including Mathys Tel at Tottenham and Arnaud Kalimuendo at Nottingham Forest as potential loans, Lyon have ruled out buying a number nine this summer, as finances dictate sales first, meaning only a loan is planned.

Openda is very much open to joining Lyon, with the chance to play in the Champions League on the table for the French side if they are to get through the qualification phase next month.

Openda’s departure is also expected to give Juventus more room to reshape their attacking options during the remainder of the summer window, as they look to refresh their forward line after a disappointing campaign.

Other Options Considered by Juventus

The Italian club would prefer a Premier League move, with Ipswich and Coventry interested. However, the pull of Champions League football at Lyon ultimately proved more compelling for Openda’s ambitions.

Loan Deal Summary

Read More: Official, Confirmed: Atlético Madrid Sign Kang-in Lee from Paris Saint-Germain Until 2031

FAQs