There is no failure, only lessons. In Lyon, student Skelly Alvero retained his skills well. A great hope for FC Sochaux-Montbéliard, the native of Stains took a giant leap in his career by joining Olympique Lyonnais during the 2023 summer transfer window. An arrival which surprised some. But the Rhone residents made a bet on the future with this atypical 2m02 midfielder purchased for €4 million (+ €1 million bonus and additional 10% profit-sharing on any future capital gains). Linked to Les Gones until June 2028, the young 21-year-old player was ready to learn, progress and take a step forward within a club of a higher caliber.
“I am very happy to join the club today. I can’t wait to start with my teammates. OL is a big club, with ambition but which was not in its place last season. I arrive with the hope of returning him to his place. I want to work, the goal is the same regardless of my playing time. I will bide my time. I have a particular style due to my size. I am capable of doing a lot of things, with my passing, my ball handling. I’m versatile. I am also here to make others shine if necessary. It’s an important thing to win duels. I play every shot to the fullest and I try to win as many duels as possible.”he told the official OL website upon his arrival.
An express passage to Lyon
Replacing Laurent Blanc in the mind, he came on twice against Nice (August 27, 20 minutes) and against PSG (September 3, 15 minutes). After the departure of the Cévenol, the cards were redistributed when Fabio Grosso sat on the OL bench. But he got off on the wrong foot with the Italian coach. The latter wanted to start him against Brest (September 23) but he changed his mind when Alvero showed up late for the pre-match chat. The 2006 world champion therefore sent him to the stands and finally included Paul Akouokou in his starting lineup. Skelly Alvero, who learned his lesson well, was able to get his chance on October 1st.
Grosso, who did not hold it against him, started him for the first time against Reims (90 minutes played) before continuing against Lorient (October 8, 59 minutes played) and Metz (November 5). On the field for 90 minutes, the player born in 2002 scored his first goal in his new colors (1-1). One of the rare pieces of good news for Alvero, who did not imagine himself fighting for maintenance. “It’s my first season at the club, I’m playing, I’ve scored. It’s still complicated to have your head up all the time. It’s part of my experience. For a player of my generation, to arrive at a club and from the first season, to play for maintenance. It’s complicated but it will make us stronger, it will make me stronger. »
A new start in Germany
He added: “I couldn’t have imagined that. You have to have the shoulders and today I don’t think about if I wasn’t there. I am here. With all the players, we will raise the club to where it should be because it is not possible to be there. I can do it, we can all do our part. You have to give your best, regardless of the player’s state of mind. We are in a fairly alarming situation, we can no longer hide. No one can hide anymore.” Alvero did not hide, he who started against Rennes (46 minutes) and Lille (45 minutes). He was also present in Pierre Sage’s first eleven in Lens on December 2. That day he played 62 minutes. His last in the OL jersey.
In fact, the new coach of Les Gones gradually left him aside. Alvero was no longer even called into the group as time went by. A delicate situation to experience for the young player who made a new start in 2024. He therefore left Lyon (8 appearances, 6 starts, 1 goal) and joined Werder Bremen on January 31 in the form of a loan until next June. “This paying loan in the amount of €250,000, to which may be added a €100,000 bonus, is accompanied by a purchase option of a maximum of €6.250 million, allowing OL to also be able to benefit, in the event of a possible future transfer, from an incentive of 15 to 20% depending on the added value achieved,” we could read in the Lyonnais press release.
He has played little at Werder yet
After 6 months of apprenticeship with Les Gones, Alvero was ready to take on a new challenge. On February 10, a little two months after his last match in Lyon, he began his new adventure by entering 4 minutes against FC Heidenheim. Then, he played only one minute during the match against Cologne on February 16. Since then, nothing. The midfielder, who has only played 5 minutes in a month, must be patient. He needs to get back into shape, having not played much in recent months. But in Germany, we are confident for the future. Journalist for Football TransfersTobias Feldhoff, who closely follows Werder Bremen, told us more about him.
“Werder is a team with good football players but with certain physical shortcomings. Alvero could bring them more power. But Ole Werner is a coach who above all wants new players to get used to his style of play, so it takes a few weeks. The fans want Alvero to play. On social networks, it’s a big subject (…) On his first two appearances, he was good but didn’t play long. Overall, Werder have been playing well for weeks so it’s difficult to get into the starting XI. But he seems to have the quality to help them and if he plays the next few weeks, Werder would be willing to buy him. It’s not too expensive.” Skelly Alvero knows what remains to do to continue the adventure in Germany.
