Olympique Lyonnais announced the early termination of Nemanja Matic’s contract, the Serbian midfielder, who will leave the club before the end of his contractual period in 2026. Despite the expectations of coach Paulo Fonseca, who relied on the experience of the 37-year-old player, the club management wanted to separate from Matic because of his high salary. Arriving at OL in January 2024 from Rennes, Matic quickly became a key player, contributing significantly to the team’s recovery thanks to his experience, combativity and the precision of his game. His departure marks an important step in the team strengthening strategy, allowing the club to manage its finances and open up opportunities for young talent.

At the same time, OL formalized the purchase-free loan of Yacine Chaib, a 20-year-old left-wing defender, to the RWDM Brussels in Belgium for the full season. Chaib, who was not retained by coach Paulo Fonseca and who had been injured during the summer stage, sought to gain experience by playing regularly. This loan is part of a policy of developing young players, given the financial constraints of the club. OL has nevertheless strengthened its workforce with new recruits like Tyler Morton, Pavel Sulc, Domiik Greif and Afonso Moreira, while continuing to build on the potential of his young talents.

In addition, Corentin Tolisso spoke positively about the young French midfielder Khalis Merah, who achieved an excellent presaison with OL. Tolisso stressed Merah’s potential, technical quality and good mentality, predicting a bright future for the young player if he remains humble and continues to progress. Merah’s integration into the professional team is seen as a major asset for OL, demonstrating the club’s commitment to developing its own talents and building the future with a solid base of promising young players.