Lyon still faces prospect of relegation despite winter sales | OneFootball

According to a financial report from L’Équipe, despite a busy winter transfer window, Olympique Lyonnais still need to make savings to match the DNCG’s requirements and prevent relegation down to Ligue 2.

In November, Lyon received word that they had been handed a provisional relegation to the second tier as well as a transfer ban and supervision of their wages after the clubs’s debt reportedly rose from €458 million to €508 million.

With this in mind, Les Gones had an active winter where they sold some of their highest earners, as Saïd Benrahma, Anthony Lopes, and Maxence Caqueret all left the club. L’Équipe writes that the winter sales, as well as the departures of Orel Mangala and Dejan Lovren in the summer, have freed up an estimated €1.7 million (excluding charges) from their wage bill.

Even with these savings, the French outlet reports that Lyon still has work to do. Alexandre Lacazette’s salary, which is estimated to be €500,000, will be off the books at the end of the season with the captain unlikely to be provided an extension.

Unless qualification to the Champions League occurs which could help free up some of the pressure on the club, Lyon will likely have to continue thinning its wage bill with Rayan Cherki, Malick Fofana, Ernest Nuamah, Nemanja Matic, and Corentin Tolisso, all high earners and possible candidates for departures.

GFFN | Nick Hartland