“Dinner was a bit tense”
That is how Youssouf Fofana described the last night of the transfer window, sitting in front of the Sevilla press on Wednesday. The deal went through with minutes to spare. The 27-year-old France midfielder arrives on loan from AC Milan, who keep him under contract until 2028.
Eighty-eight appearances in two Serie A seasons is not the record of a squad filler, whatever the perception around him in Milan after his move from Monaco. The Rossoneri let him go anyway, temporarily at least.
He did not bother waiting for the unveiling to start playing. Three days before facing the cameras he was already on the pitch in an Andalusian shirt, a 1-1 draw against Espanyol. Twenty-five caps and three goals for France sit on his CV.
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Lyon were still in it, right up to the last hours
Olympique Lyonnais were a genuine option until very late. It came to nothing, and Fofana was asked about it directly.
“It’s true it all came down to the last minutes of the window. But when I got the first call from Sevilla, with my agents there, everything moved very quickly. I was convinced I could become a Sevilla player,” he said.
Then came the line that explained the choice. “I always give priority to the people who really want me in their team, inside their setup. I gave my word and, within a few hours, everything was done.” Sevilla moved first and moved harder. Lyon did not.
A one-season bet, with Milan holding the cards
“In the end, I had the chance to come to Sevilla after the Lyon option, and I’m honestly very happy that this opportunity came up,” he added. The rumours had piled up for weeks, several clubs circled, and he held out almost to the deadline.
Sevilla get a holding midfielder with two full Serie A campaigns behind him and years of international football at the top level, for one year. Milan keep the contract, and the leverage, until 2028.
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