Despite a flashy recruitment, OL did not take off and remained stuck in 16th place in the Ligue 1 standings. But the reaction of pride against Rennes after a catastrophic first half undoubtedly augured better days, particularly with the upcoming arrival of Nemanja Matic in midfield. But there is still a cruel lack of grunts, of experienced elements capable of shaking up the team.
Although Matic has considerable experience at the age of 35, he does not speak French and will have difficulty getting messages across. One or two reinforcements are therefore expected to take on this role between now and midnight on Thursday evening. If OL explore avenues in Brazil for their midfielder (André from Fluminense is particularly appreciated), one player could well tick all the boxes, namely a certain Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg.
A French-speaking and experienced profile that Lyon likes
At 28 years old, this Danish international (73 caps – 7 goals), with a track record as long as his arm, has solid high-level experience. This tireless recoverer is an old-fashioned midfielder, aggressive in duels, very technical and a good rebounder. Another invaluable asset which capsizes OL, his perfect mastery of the language of Molière which he gets from his French mother. Normally untouchable for a club like OL, this file is now possible for the seven-time French champion club which will still have to take out the checkbook to find the means to complete this ambitious track.
Author of 20 appearances (including only 5 starts this season) with Tottenham and under contract until June 2025, the former Bayern player lost his starting place under the orders of Ange Postecoglou and knows that he must play regularly to claim a place for Euro 2024 in Germany with Denmark. Joining OL where he would benefit from an indisputable starting place could therefore allow him to achieve this. But be careful, the matter will not be simple since the Spurs, tough at the time of negotiations, will not sell off their protégé. The battle therefore promises to be tough, but the prospect of seeing a player of the caliber of Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg arrive should delight Lyon supporters who really need to boost their morale…
