Everton's potential US owner Textor refutes L'Equipe story

According to a report in L’Equipe on Thursday, Olympique Lyonnais’ American owner John Textor was scrambling to raise $112 million through player sales to comply with financial regulations from the French soccer regulatory body, the DNCG.

Textor refuted the report, telling Reuters, “We do not have sales targets, and we are not required to sell 100 million euros of players as there may be other ways to bring in revenues to maintain financial sustainability.

“Every company in France has the same challenge. At the end of the year, negative equity has to be restored. It’s no different in football.

“If it’s a slow transfer window, then we hold players until the next window. It’s as simple as that.”

Lyon has spent around 134 million euros since June

With significant investments in players like Brazilian left-back Abner and Niakhate, Lyon’s management hoped to build a competitive squad capable of challenging for top honors in Ligue 1. However, the results on the pitch have been disappointing; Pierre Sage’s players recently suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat against Rennes in their first match of the new season. That was followed by a 0-2 defeat at home versus AS Monaco on Saturday.

One of the key players who could help Lyon boost its revenue is Rayan Cherki, a highly-rated 21-year-old winger. However, Cherki recently declined a proposal from Fulham, which would have brought in $22 million for the club. With potential suitors still in the mix, Lyon’s management is hoping to secure a significant transfer fee for Cherki or other valuable assets before the window closes on Friday.

Lyon’s current situation is a far cry from the club’s glory days in the 2000s when they dominated the French scene, winning seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles between 2001 and 2008. However, years of financial mismanagement and poor decision-making have taken their toll, leaving the club struggling to maintain its status as one of France’s top teams.

Photo: IMAGO / PanoramiC