‘There was another club interested’ – Afonso Moreira shares the story behind his move to Lyon | OneFootball

When he arrived at Olympique Lyonnais, nobody knew who he was. Not even Paulo Fonseca, for whom he was still a complete newcomer. Yet for Afonso Moreira (21), the idea of joining Les Gones soon became a foregone conclusion.

“I was in Portugal, where I was doing my best to achieve my goals. Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible. I looked for another solution with my agent and when Lyon came along last summer, I was happy and excited by the interest from such a big European club. It was Benjamin (Charrier, head of recruitment) who called my agent,” the young forward told Le Progrès.

“After a match, there was a brief meeting in Portugal. There was another club interested, but in my mind, it was Lyon, Lyon and nothing else. I signed with big ambitions. And I knew it would be tough, but I worked hard every day, waiting for the slightest opportunity.”

Nine months on, Moreira has now established himself as one of the key players in the Rhône-based squad, having made the most of the opportunities presented to him following the serious ankle injury sustained by Malick Fofana (20) in late October.

So much so that he is now the second-most influential Lyon player of the season, with no fewer than six goals and nine assists to his name. Under contract with OL until June 2029, his market value has also skyrocketed, now standing at €10 million – according to the specialist website Transfermarkt.

A remarkable breakthrough for a player whose professional debut at Sporting CP, the club where he came through the ranks, and subsequently at Gil Vicente, had not been particularly successful.

GFFN | Léo Aschi