Lyon star Malick Fofana was right to turn down an approach from Everton this summer, particularly with the World Cup on the horizon.
That’s according to Nordin Jbari, [speaking to Africa Foot.](https://africafoot.com/nordin-jbari-lyon-un-bon-choix-pour-malick-fofana/) He believes the Belgian winger can afford to wait for another club to come along.
Everton were keen on the Lyon winger in the summer transfer window. Indeed, several reports in France and England made it clear they’d made moves for him and spoken to his agent.
Fofana eventually rejected the proposal, preferring to wait for more attractive offers. He had previously been linked with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United.
Everton being snubbed didn’t lead to bigger transfer
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Such a move never happened, and he ended up staying at Lyon. Everton, for their part, went on to sign Tyler Dibling from Southampton. They’re unlikely to return for Fofana any time soon, but Jbari believes he was right to turn them down.
_“He still has time. I wouldn’t be surprised if clubs, especially English ones, wanted to sign him during the winter transfer window,”_ he said.
_“I don’t think now would be the time to leave, especially just a few months before the World Cup, which Belgium should logically be participating in._
_“Moving to a new league, in the middle of the season, with all the risks that entails, since you have to adapt and earn your place. But before a World Cup, it’s not an easy choice.”_
Jbari is not worried about the youngster remaining where he is for the time being. Indeed, he thinks it could be beneficial and bring bigger, more attractive offers than Everton to the table in future.
_“Why not? He’s not at just any club. He’s only 20, and if he continues to progress, he’ll have offers to join a bigger club, in England or elsewhere,”_ he added.
_“Initially, I think the best thing for him is to finish the season at Lyon. If he has a good World Cup, he might get offers. But again, staying at Lyon until 2027 wouldn’t shock me. That said, I know Lyon needs money, and if a club offers a large sum, it could hasten his departure.”_