Officially transferred on August 11 to RB Leipzig in exchange for 34 M€ (bonus included), Castello Lukeba will have played only two short seasons in the first team before leaving his training club. At 20, like Bradley Barcola, the other young talent who left Olympique Lyonnais very quickly. Exiled in Germany, Lukeba did not experience the hellish broncha that Groupama Stadium reserved for Barcola. Nor the acerbic media outlet of Santiago Cucci. But that did not prevent criticism from flowing against John Textor, but also the young defender.
Having become persona non grata in Lyon, just like Barcola, Lukeba confided in his departure in the columns of The Team. If he claims to understand the anger of the Rhone supporters, the new Leipzig player nevertheless assures that“They don’t know everything either. » And once again, it is OL’s communication that is targeted. “It’s very easy for the club to make the player look like a villain who absolutely wants to leave. (…) At the club, they had the ambition to sell me for several months, it dated from the start of last season, with the old management. It is reality. Me, my first wish was to extend to Lyon. Since October, I really wanted to extend. »
Lukeba denounces the management of OL
Why did Lukeba change his mind then? Quite simply because he claims never to have received a proposal for an extension. “During negotiations, it’s normal for there to be disagreements, that’s what it’s for, but at least there’s an exchange. There, there was none. I had absolutely zero news and my reps had none either. (…) There, it cut short and I necessarily took it as a lack of respect and consideration. » And that’s not all. Disappointed not to have had the slightest return from the new Lyon management, Lukeba then learned that she had passed him off as the villain of the story when she had very clearly planned a sale.
“I later learned that my sale was planned for the DNCG. Under these conditions, it was impossible for me to continue at OL. (…) I never said that I had “given enough” for Lyon. I said that I had always “given everything”, it’s different, and I would have continued to do it if John Textor had told me that the door was closed. » After blaming Barcola, OL obviously used the same ploy for Lukeba. Some supporters may demand explanations, especially if this 2023/2024 season ends in fiasco.
