This is the dilemma facing OL leaders for many weeks. Indeed, pinned down by the DNCG which supervised the wage bill and future transfers, the Rhone club still intends to keep its young nuggets, however well courted. While the name of Bradley Barcola comes back with insistence on the side of Paris, Castello Lukeba has also been courted for many weeks by Leipzig. As we revealed to you exclusively a few days ago, the international Espoirs (10 selections) was awaiting a new offer while two offers, deemed too low by the Rhone leaders, have already been rejected by Lyon .
The German club is very ambitious for next season. After having got their hands on Loïs Openda, Benjamin Sesko, Xavi Simons or El Chadaille Bitshiabu, the club under the bosom of Red Bull intends to create a talented young team capable of eventually titillating or even overtaking Bayern Munich. With this in mind, the RBL has ticked the name of the solid Lyon defender for many months. Determined to recruit the native of Lyon, the last third of the Bundesliga have therefore made a third offer to the tune of 32 million euros this Tuesday according to Fabrizio Romano.
OL expect more
However, faced with the efforts made by Leipzig, OL’s position remains the same. While he would already agree on a five-year contract with the Germans, the 20-year-old defender is retained by his management who intends to keep all his nuggets and who intends to make him a leader next year. In addition, the Rhone staff would estimate that their player, at the end of the contract in two years, is worth much more than the amounts aligned so far by their counterparts across the Rhine. Currently in Divonne-les-Bains during the Gones preparation camp, Lukeba is preparing to start the season with his training club.
Nevertheless, everything can still go very quickly until September 1st. While his departure would thwart the plans of Laurent Blanc, who is counting on him this season as he has hinted on many occasions, Leipzig could still go back on the attack while OL’s defensive rock is their priority in defense . Nevertheless, the Germans should not splurge and would only increase their offer by a few million in the event of a new offensive. In short, the summer promises to be still long for Leipzig, Lyon and Castello Lukeba.
