Lyon (AFP)

Positive for Covid-19 in the heart of summer, Jason Denayer seems fully recovered: the Belgian international defender returns in force with Lyon on Thursday in the Europa League (9:00 p.m.) at the time of finding the Glasgow Rangers and Scotland, where he had revealed himself with Celtic.

Very affected by the disease, complaining for a long time of pain in the chest, the central defender has regained the going after having notably played with Belgium during the last international break, to the point of being holder for the first time of the season against Strasbourg (3-1) on Sunday, and to score a goal.

"We had to be patient because he was really sick," Dutch OL coach Peter Bosz warned on August 20.

- Scorer against Strasbourg -

His recovery is good news for Olympique Lyonnais, who will be lessened against Rangers by the absence of right-back Léo Dubois and probably center-forward Moussa Dembélé, injured.

Lyon defender Jason Denayer congratulated by his teammates after his goal scored against Strasbourg during the victory of the Lyonnais (3-1) in Lyon on September 12, 2021 in Ligue 1 JEFF PACHOUD AFP

"I am very happy that Jason was able to play three times 90 minutes in the national team (against Estonia, the Czech Republic and Belarus). It will help us and him too, because he has gained playing time", s' Bosz is thus delighted on September 11, just before facing Racing.

Against Strasbourg, the Belgian even raised the score to 2-0 with a header after a cross from Shaqiri.

Trained in Anderlecht (2006-2008) then at the Jean-Marc Guillou Academy (2008-2012) in Belgium, Denayer (26) joined Manchester City at the age of 17 in 2012 without however playing a single match with the professional team.

It was on the occasion of a successful loan to Celtic Glasgow, the great rival of Rangers, that the Red Devil (30 caps, 1 goal) was revealed during the 2014/15 season with a total of 44 matches and 6 goals, the first of which after only three minutes of play in his first appearance in the Scottish Premier League.

It was against Dundee United (6-1), during a meeting in which he was voted "man of the match" before being named "best youngster in the championship" in the spring of 2015.

It is also with Celtic, where he did not, however, rub shoulders with his teammate, Moussa Dembélé, also revealed a little later with the "Bhoys" (2016-2018), that Denayer discovered the Champions League.

After two new loans at Galatasaray (2015-2016, 2017-2018) and Sunderland (2016-2017), it is at Olympique Lyonnais that he has settled for three years.

- Soon the pair with Boateng -

The Rhone club, where he was transferred definitively for ten million euros (plus 3.5 million euros in bonus), would like to extend his contract, which expires on June 30.

Belgian international defender Jason Denayer during the Euro 2020 meeting between Finland and Belgium in Saint Petersburg, Russia on June 21, 2021 Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV POOL / AFP / Archives

But the deal is still not found, with the risk of seeing him go free, like striker Memphis Depay last June.

It was first alongside the Brazilian Marcelo Guedes, currently sidelined and made available to the reserve, that Denayer stood out.

His upcoming association with the German Jérôme Boateng, OL's final transfer window, is now eagerly awaited to strengthen a defense that has tended to take water since the start of the season.

The two men have already been able to play together for about thirty minutes against Strasbourg after the entry into play of Boateng in place of the young Sinaly Diomandé.

However, the presence at the kick-off against Rangers of former Bayern Munich, still short of form, remains uncertain.

But, with or without the German, Denayer is ready to face the "Gers".

fjt / rl / jed / chc / dep

© 2021 AFP