Openda on the Brink of Ligue 1 Return: Juventus Flop Eyes Loan Exit

Loïs Openda has become one of the biggest disappointments of Juventus' 2025 transfer window. His goal drought now stretches nearly 200 days — the Belgian last scored on December 20, when his strike sealed a win over Roma. The forward, for whom Juventus paid Leipzig €44 million, has sunk to the bottom of Luciano Spalletti's pecking order. Solving the Openda problem is one of new CEO Giovanni Carnevali's top priorities this summer. Before moving to Italy, Openda's record was stellar: 107 career goals, placing him among the top six scorers born after 2000 worldwide. But in Serie A, everything fell apart. Adaptation issues, temperament, and a tactical mismatch with Spalletti (and later Igor Tudor) produced disastrous numbers — just 2 goals in 37 appearances. Juventus brass know a full sale is nearly impossible. The most realistic solution is a loan with an option or obligation to buy. Despite his Italian nightmare, Openda still has a strong reputation beyond the peninsula. In recent weeks, four clubs have contacted Continassa offering him a fresh start: - Lens: his former club, where he exploded in 2022/23 (21 goals in 42 games). Lens finished second behind PSG and secured Champions League football. - Lyon: Paulo Fonseca's side, set for the Champions League playoffs. There, Openda could reunite with compatriots Orel Mangala and Malick Fofana. - Rennes: an ambitious club preparing for next season's Europa League. Openda isn't giving up. He's spending his holiday in Vilamoura, Portugal (Algarve), staying at Browns Sport Resort, training daily with Apex Football Performance specialists on an individual program.