Michele Kang leads consortium in advanced talks to acquire Olympique Lyonnais
A takeover of French club Olympique Lyonnais by a consortium led by current women's team president Michele Kang is reportedly in its final stages. According to a statement from the club's parent company, Eagle Football Holdings, a special committee has been established to oversee the administrative process and evaluate a potential public offer for the benefit of the company, its shareholders, and employees.
The committee, tasked with avoiding conflicts of interest, will be chaired by board members Nathalie Dechy, Gilbert Saada, and Victoria Wescott. French sports daily L'Équipe reports that Kang is now in a strong position to complete a purchase, partnering with the American investment fund Ares Management. The deal would see Kang, who already owns and operates OL Féminin, take control of the entire Olympique Lyonnais organization from John Textor's Eagle Group.
Textor, who was definitively removed from his role at the holding company in February, has been seeking a buyer for the historic Ligue 1 side for several months. The club has faced significant administrative and sporting turbulence in recent years, including a dramatic battle against relegation last season. This potential sale represents a critical step toward stabilizing the club's ownership structure, which has been unclear to many observers due to repeated corporate updates.
Michele Kang is a prominent figure in global women's football, having acquired a controlling stake in OL Féminin in 2022 and also owning the Washington Spirit in the American NWSL. Her move to acquire the men's team would create a rare model of unified ownership across a club's top-tier men's and women's sections in European football. The involvement of Ares Management, a major global alternative investment manager, provides significant financial backing for the proposed acquisition.
For Lyon, a seven-time French champion currently struggling in mid-table, a clear and financially secure ownership is seen as a prerequisite for rebuilding a competitive squad. The men's team has failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the past four seasons, a stark contrast to its dominance in the 2000s. A finalized sale would allow the club to plan for the summer transfer window with certainty and potentially invest in strengthening Pierre Sage's squad.
The transaction, once finalized, would mark a new chapter for one of France's most storied clubs. It would also solidify Kang's growing empire in the sport, positioning her as one of the most powerful figures in football club ownership. The final step, as noted in reports, is now a simple matter of signatures to complete the process.
