Malick Fofana speaks out on Chelsea interest and explains transfer decision - 'More important'

Malick Fofana has opened up about the interest from Chelsea in the summer transfer window. The Lyon winger's impressive performances in the French top-flight saw him heavily linked with a move to the Premier League.

Last season, he helped the French giants finish sixth and qualify for the Conference League. Earlier this summer, football.london reported that the Belgian was among several left wingers on Enzo Maresca's shortlist before the Blues finalised a £55m move for Jamie Gittens.

Chelsea are believed to have made initial contact with Lyon to explore a potential deal, but Borussia Dortmund star Gittens was always the top priority. Meanwhile, Liverpool were also linked with a potential move.

In response to the interest, the 20-year-old indicated that remaining at Lyon was the best choice for his development.

"There was interest from those two clubs, but ultimately it wasn’t concrete enough," he revealed.

"I thought about a transfer, but I think it’s more important now that I play a lot, and that has to happen at Lyon because I still have progress to make.

"Of course [I want to go to the 2026 World Cup], but I realise I still have a lot to prove. I've already made progress. I’m now more decisive and more involved in the game.

"I’m just a normal lad and I’m keeping my cool. I don’t focus on the media either, I just do what I love to do: dribble and score."

While he may have struggled for regular minutes at Chelsea, at Lyon, Fofana remains a key figure in their starting lineup.

The winger featured in 41 matches across all competitions last season and has already started all three of the club's Ligue 1 games in the 2025–26 campaign.

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