Official: AC Milan loan Athekame to Olympique Lyonnais
Quick summary
AC Milan have officially loaned out defender Athekame to Olympique Lyonnais for the season.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceMilan have officially sent Zachary Athekame to Olympique Lyonnais on loan for the 2026/27 season, but there is no option to make it permanent.
The agreement had been reached last week , and the player underwent medical tests before putting pen to paper this afternoon.
Athekame joins Lyon on loan GENOA, ITALY – MAY 17: Zachary Athekame of Milan celebrates after scoring a goal during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC and AC Milan at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on May 17, 2026 in Genoa, Italy. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images) As confirmed by the official statement from both clubs , this is a dry loan for one year, meaning there is no option to extend or make it permanent.
It is believed that the Ligue 1 side will cover the entirety of his salary during the loan period.
Milan had paid €10m plus add-ons to sign the Swiss defender from Young Boys just a year ago, including a 10 per cent cut of the future sale, but he failed to make an impact with two goals and two assists in 29 competitive games.
Athekame’s contract with the Rossoneri still runs to June 2030 and it is hoped he can regain some form in France.
The right-back will turn 22 in December and has 17 caps for Switzerland at Under-21 level.
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What happened
AC Milan have confirmed the loan of Athekame to Ligue 1 side Olympique Lyonnais. The defender will spend the season in France, gaining experience and playing time away from the San Siro. The move suggests Milan are not counting on the player for their immediate first-team plans this campaign.
Chance analysis
Loaning out a squad player to Lyon indicates Milan have depth in that position and are prioritizing development minutes for the player in a competitive league. For Lyon, this represents a defensive reinforcement, though the impact depends on the player's expected role. It slightly weakens Milan's squad depth unless a replacement is lined up.
Slight negative impact on Milan's defensive depth; positive for Lyon gaining a loan addition and for Athekame's playing time prospects.
Athekame is not expected to be a key Milan player this season, so minimal impact on Milan's competitive outlook; Lyon gain squad depth in defense.