Arriving from PSG last summer, Mahamadou Diawara was quickly established at OL before disappearing completely under Pierre Sage. However, the Lyonnais do not doubt the talent of the 19-year-old player and this is also the case for FC Nantes.
In a chaotic summer of 2023 on a sporting level, OL had not been more serene in terms of recruitment. The old recruitment unit had taken everything and anything in the transfer window and this gave rise to monumental flops like Diego Moreira and Paul Akouokou. However, a young player quickly brought satisfaction: Mahamadou Diawara. At 19, the midfielder signed his first professional contract with OL rather than PSG. The Rhone club had no reason to complain given Diawara’s convincing appearances in the first part of the season. However, he suddenly disappeared when Pierre Sage took office. He only played three ends of matches with the current OL coach for 26 minutes of effective playing time.
Nantes launches battle for Diawara
Nevertheless, his market rating has remained intact. Under contract until 2028, Diawara is being followed by several French and European clubs. A Ligue 1 team is finally launching an assault on the midfielder according to Foot Mercato. It is FC Nantes, in search of talented young players at reduced prices. The club chaired by Waldemar Kita has made a loan offer with an option to buy for Mahamadou Diawara. The Franco-Malian is one of Antoine Kombouaré’s priorities in the transfer window.
OL’s response is currently unknown. Despite his short playing time, the young midfielder retains the confidence of the Lyon staff. Both Diawara and OL considered the previous exercise as a learning season before a long-term collaboration. A loan in Ligue 1 could allow him to accelerate his progress while remaining visible to the Rhone management. On paper, we are therefore close to the perfect transfer for everyone: OL, Nantes and Mahamadou Diawara.
