Olympique Lyonnais nears loan signing of Juventus striker Openda and permanent deal for Estoril defender Bacher

Published Jul 28, 12:33 PM UTC

Olympique Lyonnais (OL) is making concrete progress on recruitment ahead of their crucial Champions League third preliminary round tie against Prague. Belgian striker Loïs Openda, formerly of Lens and currently at Juventus, is expected to sign on a loan without a purchase option within 24 hours. The 26-year-old, who was not selected for the 2026 World Cup, seeks playing time after a nearly blank season. On the defensive side, OL is set to sign Austrian central defender Felix Bacher from Estoril for a fee of just over €4 million, with a contract running until June 2031. Bacher, 25, is a powerful defender comfortable in aerial duels and capable of playing in a high press. He is expected to partner Moussa Niakhaté on the right side of defense. His signing should be officialized this week, subject to a medical examination.

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