Lucas Gourna-Douath reveals Le Havre courtship before loan, with ‘subliminal messages’ from November | OneFootball

Lucas Gourna-Douath’s mid-January move to Le Havre, a loan for the rest of the season, was set in motion months earlier after quiet overtures from November.

According to L'Équipe, the first conversation came at Stade Déjerine in Paris’s 20th arrondissement, where initial talks began. Speaking on Friday before hosting Strasbourg on Sunday at 17:15, he said the relationship effectively started there and that he felt subtle signals had been sent his way.

He had been watching a Paris FC v Le Havre U19 match in September or October, seated alongside Mohamed El Kharraze, Mathieu Bodmer and Chicco Malau. The 22-year-old, who spent February to June 2025 with AS Roma, chatted football with them, including promising youngsters.

Three months on, the move took shape while he was stuck in Austria. Valencia and Rangers were tracking him, but he initially did not take Le Havre seriously as he remained focused on RB Salzburg. When the winter window opened he prioritised playing time, and a call from coach Didier Digard reinforced that decision.

Since arriving he has started as the holding midfielder against Monaco, a 0-0, then at Lens, a 0-1, and is already settling into Le Havre’s midfield.

Source: L'Équipe