Olympique Lyonnais may not deliver the summer transfer window their fans expect. Indeed, the DNCG – Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion, French’s football financial watchdog – have decided to monitor the club’s transfer activity and wage bill for the 2023-2024 season due to financial irregularities in the budget presented by Lyon boss John Textor. It is a serious warning for the American chief of Eagle Football Holdings, who also happens to be a minority shareholder at Crystal Palace FC. L’Équipe report that Lyon are considering lodging an appeal with the French Football Federation over the matter.
@OL Décision de la DNCG pic.twitter.com/jMKtN2Za4R
— Jérôme MARILLER (@JeromeMARILLER) July 4, 2023
Textor tried to give strong financial guarantees to the DNCG with a last-gasp attempt to move Eagle Football’s share capital in Crystal Palace, Molenbeek and Botafogo into the Lyon holding company, OL Groupe, to boost its asset base by €300m. However, it was not enough to convince the DNCG that Lyon are in good financial health. In short, the DNCG will be able to block transfer incomings this season and monitor the club’s wage bill inflation.
Lyon may need to resort themselves to sell their most marketable assets – be they Rayan Cherki, Bradley Barcola, Castello Lukeba – or drastically lower their ambitions when it comes to new signings.
GFFN | Bastien Cheval
