Loan to Lyon helps fulfill Indrik’s World Cup dream with Brazil

Even those who do not follow French football in detail will be aware of the misfortune that could have befallen Lyon this summer.

Having survived administrative relegation to Ligue 2 just five and a half weeks before the start of the season, the club’s future in Ligue 1 depended on its ability to deliver on financial promises.

The sale of the team’s most valuable assets followed, and with it expectations for a third successive season of European football were diminished.

Constrained by their financial weakness, the Les Gones team, led by sporting director Mathieu-Louis Jean, had to work hard, embarking on a rapid recruitment drive.

Unearthing talent from lesser-known European leagues has become a core tenet of their philosophy.

“We worked in different markets,” the former Nottingham Forest right-back explained in September.

Amid a flurry of moves, Pavel Sulke and Robin Kluivert arrived on permanent deals from Viktoria Plzeň and Casa Pia respectively, while Adam Karapic joined from Sparta Prague on loan.

Louis Jean has earned a reputation as a strategic operator, but his more innovative market maneuvers will have to wait until the winter window.

Having deviated from his reactionary tendencies in the past, Lyon were left without a notable central striker, preferring to secure the temporary services of Martin Satriano on loan.

“We made the decision on the final day of the transfer window to leave the first striker position open,” general manager Michael Gerlinger said.

Louis Jean and Lyon’s wider recruitment department were convinced an opportunity would come in January. Their intuition soon turned into a prophecy.

After playing just 99 minutes for Real Madrid during the first half of the season, Brazilian striker Endrek needed an escape. Leon was more than happy to provide the player with sanctuary and the talisman they so desperately craved.

“We’ve been waiting for the number nine for a long time,” Louis-Jean said when introducing the 19-year-old after he joined on loan until the end of the season.