Olympique Lyonnais are aiming to generate €20 million in player sales by the end of June, potentially rising to €60 million by the end of August if they fail to qualify for the Champions League, according to L’Équipe. The financial restructuring is intended to fund incoming transfers and reduce the club’s wage bill ahead of the new season.
Manager Paulo Fonseca is actively involved in the recruitment process, working closely with sporting director Matthieu Louis-Jean and relying heavily on the club’s scouting network. Lyon are preparing for a return to training on June 29th, with a key target being readiness for the third qualifying round of the Champions League on August 4th. Moussa Niakhaté and Nicolas Tagliafico will be suspended for that match due to red cards received during Europa League competition against Celta Vigo.
The club has identified five players as currently untouchable: goalkeeper Dominik Greif, defender Moussa Niakhaté, midfielder Tyler Morton, veteran Corentin Tolisso, and one of the left wingers, either Malick Fofana or Afonso Moreira. Several other players are considered transfer targets for other clubs, including Nicolas Tagliafico, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Orel Mangala, Abner Vinicius, Pavel Sulc, Tanner Tessmann, and Ruben Kluivert.
Lyon are hoping to overhaul at least five or six players in their squad, while simultaneously improving the team’s athleticism and pace. Fonseca’s priorities in the transfer market include a central defender, two full-backs – particularly on the right – a defensive midfielder, and a young, fast striker. The club also intends to integrate more players from their academy into the first-team setup. A training camp in either Germany or Austria is being considered for the third week of pre-season, with five to six friendly matches planned. Players who participated in the recent international window, including Niakhaté, Sulc, Ernest Nuamah, and Tagliafico, will be granted a maximum of three weeks of holiday.
The need for player sales stems from Lyon’s desire to strengthen the squad and compete for a Champions League spot, a goal they haven’t achieved since 2020. Successfully navigating the qualifying rounds and building a more competitive team will be crucial for the club’s ambitions.
