A year after leaving Ligue 1 for Saudi Arabia, could Amadou Koné already be heading back to France? Olympique Lyonnais are reportedly among the clubs keeping tabs on the 21-year-old midfielder. For now, though, it is no more than a lead.
Unbeaten after five league games, with three wins and two draws, Lyon are not resting on their strong start. The club are said to be looking to bolster their midfield already, despite signing Denmark’s Mads Bidstrup this summer. One name keeps coming up: Amadou Koné.
The story was first reported by Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur, before being picked up by outlets including Transferfeed. Lyon are not alone. Marseille, Nice, Fiorentina, Atalanta and Hull City are also reported to be following the situation.
Made his name at Reims, a regular under Galtier
A product of Mali’s Afrique Football Élite academy who has represented Ivory Coast at youth level, Koné joined Stade de Reims in July 2023. He quickly established himself, playing a part in Reims’ run to the 2025 Coupe de France final.
In summer 2025, Neom SC paid around €13 million to bring him to the Saudi Pro League, a healthy profit for Reims. Under Christophe Galtier, the defensive midfielder has become an undisputed starter.
Athletic and versatile, he would give Lyon another option in midfield, with the added bonus of already knowing Ligue 1 well.
Neom won’t sell cheaply
That is where it gets tricky. Koné is under contract until 2029 and Neom have no reason to sell at a loss. The Saudi club are said to want between €15 million and €20 million before add-ons, with some reports putting the figure as high as €25 million. That is a steep price for French clubs with limited financial room.
At this stage, no bid from Lyon and no talks with Neom have been reported. Lyon’s interest still needs to be confirmed by stronger sources. The club may simply be monitoring his progress with future transfer windows in mind, as Koné fits the profile of a young player with plenty of room to grow.