The right wing at Lille is opening in the middle of a demanding autumn run, and Dilane Bakwa has a clear chance to step through it. Ethan Mbappé’s injury and suspension have changed the picture for a player who arrived late from Nottingham Forest but has quickly settled into the LOSC squad.
Bakwa, 24, joined Lille on loan on 26 August after a difficult spell in England. He has so far been used mainly in short appearances, totalling 202 minutes, but coach Davide Ancelotti believes the former Strasbourg winger is ready for a larger role.
Quick facts
- Dilane Bakwa joined Lille on loan from Nottingham Forest on 26 August.
- He has played 202 minutes for LOSC so far.
- Ethan Mbappé injured his right foot while starting for France Under-21s against Estonia on 29 September.
- Lille face eight matches in 29 days, beginning against Le Havre on Saturday.
- Bakwa recorded six goals and nine assists in 30 Ligue 1 games for Strasbourg in 2024-25.
Ancelotti has generally preferred Mbappé on the right of his 4-2-3-1. The younger player, four years and four months Bakwa’s junior, has offered pressing, collective movement and work without the ball — important elements in the Italian coach’s possession-based approach.
Bakwa brings a different profile. A left-footer operating from the right, he is built to drive inside, beat opponents and create danger through individual actions. He had already shown that capacity during Lille’s 2-2 draw with Paris Saint-Germain on 28 August, when he scored on his debut.
His standing inside the group has not been in doubt. Ancelotti has praised Bakwa’s positive attitude in the dressing room, while left-back Calvin Verdonk described him as a good and entertaining teammate.
The bigger test is now on the pitch. Mbappé was forced off in the 12th minute of his first France Under-21 start, a 2-0 win in Estonia on 29 September, after hurting his right foot. Lille hope he may return for Brest’s visit on 17 October, although his previous physical problems leave that timetable uncertain.
There is also a European absence to manage. Sent off in the 3-2 defeat to Real Betis on 8 September, Mbappé received a three-match Champions League ban. He will miss trips to Arsenal and Bodø/Glimt, plus the home match against Galatasaray, and cannot return in the competition before Bayern Munich visit on 25 November.
That sequence gives Bakwa a route into regular selection as Lille begin their packed schedule against Le Havre at 17:15 on Saturday. The club will play eight times in 29 days before the next international break.
Ancelotti has made his expectations plain. He said Bakwa has the opportunity to play more and that he expects a great deal from him, citing his experience, potential for decisive attacking contributions, defensive effort and ability to bring balance to the side.
The loan offers Bakwa a chance to restore the momentum he carried in France. With Strasbourg in 2024-25, he produced six goals and nine assists across 30 Ligue 1 appearances before Nottingham Forest paid €35 million for him on a five-year contract on 1 September 2025.
His first English season was quieter, yielding two assists in 24 matches. Lille now need the sharper, more direct version of Bakwa — and the calendar may finally give him enough minutes to find it.
