Milan in talks to bring Zachary Athekame back from Lyon in January

Milan have opened negotiations with Lyon over the early return of full-back Zachary Athekame from his loan spell, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Initial discussions have taken place between the clubs, but Milan will need Lyon’s approval to complete the move during the winter transfer window. The French club could also request compensation before agreeing to release the 21-year-old.

Athekame has made nine appearances for Lyon in all competitions this season, scoring two goals and providing three assists.

The defender remains under contract with Milan until the middle of 2030.

Daraja Kapoor

Daraja Kapoor is a highly respected football journalist, editor and analyst, known for his compelling storytelling and sharp, data-driven insights into the game. He specialises in match analysis, features, emerging talent coverage and football trends across Africa.He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Cape Coast and has built a strong reputation in the media industry through his disciplined approach and deep understanding of football.Daraja received his journalistic training at leading news platform Ghanaguardian.com and has worked with some of the most prominent football websites in Ghana, including Footballmadeinghana.com and Ghanasoccernet.com. He also served as Sports Editor of Talysports.com, where he played a key role in shaping editorial direction and content strategy.He is currently the Managing Editor of African.Football, where he leads the platform’s editorial vision, overseeing content production, quality control and the delivery of authoritative African football coverage to a global audience.

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