Although it looked as if the deal to take Said Benrahma to Lyon had collapsed at the 11th hour, Friday brought some good news for all concerned as the 28-year-old finally got clearance to make the move.
As West Ham themselves announced via their social media channels, it is only a loan move rather than a permanent deal, however, the official club website gave a little more detail including that there is the option for Lyon to extend Benrahma’s stay.
West Ham United can confirm Saïd Benrahma has joined Olympique Lyonnais on loan until the end of the 2023/24 season.
— West Ham United (@WestHam) February 2, 2024
It’s been a horrible season for the Algerian, who barely made a dent in the first team in 2023/24, which probably explains his lack of goals and just two assists (WhoScored).
Assuming that he hits the ground running at his new club and they’re minded to make the move permanent in the summer, Benrahma’s final act as a West Ham player was to get himself sent off against Bristol City in the Hammers chastening FA Cup defeat.
David Moyes hadn’t seen fit to trust the exciting attacker for a number of matches in the current campaign, and his total 1154 minutes included just five starts in the Premier League.
Indeed, he only played 90 minutes once in the English top-flight in 2023/24, and that was in the opening match of the season at Bournemouth.