At a time when OL are looking to downsize their squad, certain players chose to go on loan last summer. The strategy was pretty winning for the most part.
Amin Sarr (Hella Verona)
Yes, Amin Sarr is still a player under contract with OL, for those who had forgotten. It must be said that the Swede does not necessarily shine far from the capital of Gaul for us to be able to talk about it. Loaned for six months last January, Sarr had completely missed his time at Wolfsburgwho had logically not exercised the purchase option. Back in Lyon, Amin Sarr was quickly placed in the summer loft looking for a way out.
The striker found it with Hellas Verona in Serie A. If he played eleven matches out of a possible fifteen, the Italian adventure is not necessarily a guarantee of success for the Swede. Certainly, he was elected man of the match in the victory against Parma (3-2) thanks to one of his two goals since his arrival, but with 364 minutes on the clock, he remains above all a substitute for a team that is 17th out of 20 in Serie A…
Johann Lepenant (Nantes)
Also barred at OL, Lepenant chose to go into exile to get back into rhythm. Trained in Caen, the midfielder moved closer to his Normandy, settling down at FC Nantes. A choice which is bearing fruit since the Olympic vice-champion has become an executive of the Canaries. To his advantage, Lepenant should logically see the FCN exercise its purchase option of 2.5 million euros. A decision that is anything but surprising, because the former Lyonnais has only missed two matches due to injury since his arrival in Loire-Atlantique, as well as the meeting at Parc OL due to a clause.
Having once again found rhythm and confidence in a club perhaps more suited to his size, Johann Lepenant notably distinguished himself during the match against Saint-Etienne with a goal and a technical sequence which made the rounds on the networks at the end of September. If individually, everything is going well for Lepenant (963 minutes), the Canaries are a little more in trouble (14th in Ligue 1).
Achraf Laaziri and Islam Halifa (RWD Molenbeek)
Success is also a question for the young people of the Academy, and this should be underlined. In addition to Mathieu Patouillet which continues in Sochaux, Achraf Lazarus and Islam Halifa have found a playing field conducive to their development in Belgian D2. Enjoying timeshare with Eagle Football and the descent of the RWD Molenbeekthe two OL reserve executives last season have tasted the high level since August. No one is going to complain about it, whether RWDM supporters or the players themselves.
If the Belgian team has stalled recently with a 3rd place, Laaziri and Halifa have established themselves as starters with Yannick Ferrera. In the league, the Moroccan full-back only missed three minutes and delivered five passes, playing at times as a left midfielder. Same observation for Halifa who won over everyone in the Belgian midfield. With nearly 1,400 minutes played since August, the former captain of the Lyon reserve is gaining more and more weight, to the point of having been named player of the month in November.
Orel Mangala (Everton)
A half-fig, half-reason loan for the Belgian midfielder in this first part of the season. Not being part of Pierre Sage’s plans, Mangala returned to a Premier League that he had left six months earlier. But, like Jake O’Brien who hardly plays, the midfielder had to be patient to win with the Toffees. Alternating tenure and start of match on the bench until November, Orel Mangala finally continues. Starter in the last four matches ofEvertonhe scored against Wolverhampton at the beginning of December and the English team remains on four games without defeat (one victory and three draws). We’ll see if the improvement continues in 2025 before returning to OL next summer.
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