90min

Lyon Chief Hints at Moussa Dembele Departure This Summer

By James Cormack

Moussa Dembele is expected to depart Lyon after their incredible European run was brought to a close
Moussa Dembele is expected to depart Lyon after their incredible European run was brought to a close / FRANCK FIFE/Getty Images
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Lyon sporting director Juninho fears it's inevitable the club will lose a number of their stars this summer, including Manchester United target Moussa Dembele.

Les Gones' miraculous Champions League run was brought to an end by Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, as Hansi Flick's relentless outfit progressed to the final with a 3-0 win. The French side spurned plenty of good opportunities to take the lead before Serge Gnabry's ruthless opener.

Rudi Garcia will certainly rue those squandered chances in the opening exchanges, and now the French boss is expected to see some of the key players from their underdog run leave the club this summer.

Dembele's replacement, Karl Toko Ekambi, spurned two gilt-edged opportunities for Lyon on Wednesday night
Dembele's replacement, Karl Toko Ekambi, spurned two gilt-edged opportunities for Lyon on Wednesday night / MIGUEL A. LOPES/Getty Images

Dynamic midfielder Houssem Aouar and chief goalscorer Dembele are two names touted with big-money moves away in the current transfer window, with Juninho admitting it will be difficult to resist lucrative offers for the pair.

"There are no presents. We will have to work," the former free-kick master said following their semi-final exit (via the Metro).

‘If we continue like this, we will be back in this competition. When you are well paid, you need motivation every day, we are going to concentrate on Ligue 1. There are the basics.

Dembele scored twice off the bench to send Manchester City home in the last eight
Dembele scored twice off the bench to send Manchester City home in the last eight / Matthew Ashton - AMA/Getty Images

"There will be departures, but I am not worried. When you have players who play very well in a competition like this, like Moussa and Houssem...we will have to show the same spirit to be back in the Champions League next season."

Aouar, who starred against Manchester City in the last eight and impressed in the second period on Wednesday night, is understood to be the subject of interest from Arsenal, City and Juventus, while Dembele was linked with a move to Old Trafford earlier this summer.

The Frenchman's 16 goals in Ligue 1 meant he topped Lyon's goalscoring charts last term, but he failed to start in any of Les Gones' three European encounters over the past two weeks - even after his heroic role in their shock defeat of the Cityzens in the quarter-finals with a match-winning brace off the bench.