Juventus paradox: Openda starts today, then leaves for Lyon
Juventus will start Loïs Openda against Standard Liege on Saturday, then send the Belgian striker to Lyon on loan. With Luciano Spalletti short of fit forwards, Openda is the only available centre-forward for the friendly—even as his French exit is effectively sealed.
Key Takeaways
- Juventus and Lyon have agreed a loan for Loïs Openda after one season in Turin.
- Openda starts the Standard Liege friendly as Spalletti’s only fit true striker.
- Lyon covers his wages and pays Juventus about €3 million for the season-long loan.
- Medicals and contract signing are expected early next week in France.
- His Turin exit also frees a hillside villa once linked to Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba.
Why is Openda starting for Juventus if he is leaving?
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the move is done in principle, yet Openda remains indispensable for tonight’s friendly in Liege—his hometown club Standard.
Spalletti has lost Dusan Vlahovic, who left as a free agent, and is still waiting on targets Kolo Muani and Zirkzee. New signing Jeff Ekhator was hurt in the Basel opener. Arkadiusz Milik and Edon Zhegrova stopped in Friday training. Kenan Yildiz is working separately after tendinopathy. Jonathan David is finishing a post-World Cup break and is due at Continassa only early next week.
That injury and availability crunch leaves Openda as the sole genuine centre-forward Spalletti can field. He already played more minutes than any teammate in the Basel test; Liege is the encore before the credits roll.
What is the Juventus–Lyon loan formula?
Tuttosport reports sporting directors Giovanni Carnevali and Frederic Massara closed the deal. Lyon takes Openda on loan, pays his full salary, and sends Juventus roughly €3 million for the annual spell.
Gazzetta frames the same exit as a paid loan with a buy option. Openda is expected in Lyon between the end of the weekend and early next week for medicals and the contract, with an official announcement to follow.
The 26-year-old rejoins Ligue 1 under Paulo Fonseca, the former Milan and Roma coach, betting on a league he already knows from a strong spell at Lens.
How did Openda’s Juventus season fall short?
Signed late last summer for €44 million plus bonuses, Openda managed 34 appearances across Serie A, the Champions League and Coppa Italia, but only two goals—against Roma and Bodo/Glimt. Both Igor Tudor and Spalletti sidelined him; he sat on the bench often and drew heavy criticism relative to the fee.
Corriere dello Sport had already flagged him as close to Lyon days earlier. After the Liege farewell, Juventus frees an attacking roster spot it hopes to fill soon—while Openda also vacates a hillside Turin home once associated with Ronaldo and Pogba, a footnote that lands in the same orbit as BlasterPost’s Luxury Real Estate & Dream Homes coverage of elite athletes’ residences.
For Spalletti, the paradox is immediate: the first name on the surplus list is still the only striker he can trust tonight. For Openda, the Liege kickoff is a last dance in black and white before a French reset.