Lois Openda's career path continues to twist in unpredictable directions. The striker, who arrived at Juventus with considerable fanfare only to drift...
Lois Openda's career path continues to twist in unpredictable directions. The striker, who arrived at Juventus with considerable fanfare only to drift into the periphery, is now the subject of fresh interest from Olympique Lyonnais. GoalZaza understands that the Ligue 1 outfit have joined a chase that already includes RC Lens and Championship side Coventry City, creating a three way battle for a player whose stock has slipped alarmingly in Turin.Openda's time in Serie A has been a study in frustration. Brought in to provide a direct, high energy option through the middle, he has instead looked a square peg in a round hole. Juve's tactical rigidity, with its emphasis on controlled possession and methodical buildup, has starved him of the transitional spaces where he thrives. When he has been handed minutes, the service has been inconsistent and his own confidence has visibly ebbed. For a forward who built his reputation on explosive movement and clinical finishing in the Bundesliga, watching him cut a forlorn figure in black and white has been genuinely painful.Lyon's interest makes sound football sense. They need a mobile nine who can stretch defences and run the channels, a profile that aligns perfectly with Openda's natural game. Les Gones have been crying out for a focal point who offers more than just a static target, and the Belgian international could provide exactly that. However, there is a catch. RC Lens, where Openda enjoyed his most productive spell, would surely be his preferred destination. Coventry, meanwhile, represent a more speculative punt, a move that would test his appetite for a different kind of project.Can Lyon really persuade him to overlook a return to familiar surroundings in northern France That depends on the project they sell and the assurances they offer over game time. Openda needs to play, and he needs to play in a system that allows him to attack space rather than hold up play against a low block. If Pierre Sage can convince him that Groupama Stadium is the place to rebuild his reputation, then this could become a very interesting saga indeed.What is certain is that Juventus will not stand in his way. The club are keen to move him on, to recoup a portion of their investment and free up wages for other targets. For Openda, the next few weeks will define the trajectory of his career. He can either take the comfortable option and go back to Lens, or he can back himself to reignite elsewhere. Football has a short memory, but only for those who refuse to hide. The clock is ticking.
