Olympique Lyon Near €25 Million Deal for Nottingham Forest’s Danilo

Olympique Lyon are close to signing Nottingham Forest’s Brazilian midfielder Danilo for €25 million. The deal is waiting for the final approval from the English club. This transfer could change the midfield for both teams as the new season approaches.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Lyon offered €25 million to Nottingham Forest for Danilo. All parties are nearly in agreement. The 24-year-old midfielder had an injury-filled Premier League season, only playing 13 times. He fractured his ankle in the first match of the 2024-25 season. Despite his lack of recent play, Lyon see Danilo as a potential replacement for veteran Nemanja Matic, who may leave this summer. This transfer follows Lyon’s earlier moves for Orel Mangala and Moussa Niakhaté from Forest. Those transfers got mixed reviews due to limited success in sports and finances.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Danilo joined Nottingham Forest in 2023 and soon became key to the team, starting 47 matches and scoring six goals before his recent injury. This season, Forest finished seventh in the Premier League, earning a spot in the Europa Conference League. Selling Danilo may help Forest improve their finances and meet regulations. These regulations are important as they look to strengthen their team for European competition. Meanwhile, Lyon finished sixth in Ligue 1, just missing out on European qualification. They aim to rebuild their team with younger talent to compete both in their league and in Europe next season.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Nottingham Forest must give a final approval before Danilo can join Lyon. Both clubs are watching closely for any needed regulatory approvals, especially from the French financial watchdog DNCG. Nottingham Forest now need to strengthen their team for their Europa Conference League run, which starts in late July. Lyon are preparing for a strong pre-season to improve on their sixth-place Ligue 1 finish. They want to close a six-point gap to Rennes, the team just above them in the league. Their first league match is in early August, and fans are eager to see if Danilo will play in the Lyon midfield.