At Olympique Lyonnais, we have become accustomed to this in recent years: daily life is more marked by financial issues than sporting ones. This reality is unlikely to change in the weeks to come. While the team, known as the Gones, revived their Champions League aspirations by defeating Lorient last weekend in the league (2-0), the focus is expected to shift quickly towards the upcoming sale of the club.
Since John Textor’s departure in 2025 – amid the threat of relegation to Ligue 2 looming over OL – the Rhône-based club, still owned by Eagle Football Group, has been taken over by Michele Kang, whose role within the Lyon galaxy is set to expand soon.
Indeed, the club announced on Tuesday morning the appointment of an independent commission dedicated to overseeing a potential club takeover by an investor to avoid conflicts of interest. “This committee will be responsible for monitoring the administration process on behalf of the company and, when the time comes, if necessary, proposing to the board of directors the appointment of an independent expert, overseeing the expert’s work, and making a recommendation to the board of directors regarding a possible public offering for the company, its shareholders, and its employees,” explained OL in a statement.
The OL budget remains under close scrutiny
This committee, which will act as a safeguard, will include financial expert Gilbert Saada – who will preside over it – as well as former tennis player Nathalie Dechy and Victoria Wescott. Such precautions are being taken mainly because the main parties interested in taking control of Olympique Lyonnais are simply the investment fund Ares and Michele Kang, the current head of the club.
However, to ensure lasting financial stability after the sale, the current President of OL will likely have to contribute more in the coming months, as the club’s budget is still closely monitored by the DNCG and UEFA, who are demanding a return to financial balance by the 2028-2029 season.
