Lyon are considering a new coach following the hiring of Rui Borges, who left the team at the end of the year. With the end of Paulo Fonseca's contract in sight, the Lisbon club has intensified contacts with the former Milan coach to bring him back to his homeland, taking advantage of the 20% economic slope of the amount paid for Afonso Moreira's transfer to Bayer Leverkusen. This agreement could allow Sporting to hire Fonseca without further burdens towards the French, who are going through a period of economic crisis.
Meanwhile, Lyon has started to explore other figures for the vacant position. According to L'Equipe, among the candidates is Thiago Motta, a former Juventus player who is currently free after his expulsion from the Juventus club. The Italian-Brazilian, who recently terminated his contract, has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Fonseca. The transalpine newspaper reported that Motta and his staff have expressed interest in an offer from the French club.
Lyon, who recently achieved a victory in Ligue1 against Angers, now find themselves having to decide between continuing with Fonseca and the option of resorting to a coach with Italian experience like Motta. The final choice will influence the tactical direction and composition of the group for the season ahead. The French club will also have to manage the financial transition with Sporting, trying to minimize costs in a difficult economic context. The next step will be the confirmation of an official decision by the Lyon management, which must be communicated within the next few weeks.