Lyon still face enforced Ligue 2 relegation despite January sales

Tom Weber

Updated: 26 Mar 2025 16:16 GMT
3 min read

Olympique Lyon still need to raise significant funds in the final months of the season to avoid relegation to Ligue 2, according to French media.

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In November 2024, the storied Ligue 1 giants were rocked when France's financial watchdog, the DNCG, announced that the club would be hit with a transfer ban and a provisional relegation to the second tier due to their substantial debt.

Lyon reportedly owed north of €500 million and were told to balance the books before the end of the season or risk demotion to Ligue 2 for the first time since 1989.

In January, Les Gones offloaded several players. Long-serving goalkeeper Anthony Lopes was forced out of the club, not generating a transfer fee but freeing up a sizeable chunk of wages.

Maxence Caqueret, Jeffinho and Gift Orban were sold to the tune of €29.3m and a number of other players were loaned out. However, as is evident from these numbers, it has been nowhere near enough to meet the demands set by the DNCG.

Lyon need summer firesale

Indeed, as L'Equipe now points out, Lyon will likely need a summer firesale because, as things stand, they are a Ligue 2 club despite sitting fifth in Ligue 1.

Captain Alexandre Lacazette is expected to leave the club this summer when his contract expires. His exit would free up an additional €500,000. More worryingly, Lyon will have to shed a lot of younger talent to raise the necessary funds.

The likes of Rayan Cherki, Malick Fofana and Ernest Nuamah could all be sold in a desperate bid to get on an even keel. Veterans and big earners Nemanja Matic and Corentin Tolisso may also be offloaded.

Qualification for the Champions League would provide a lucrative source of income and Lyon are certainly in with a good chance of making it. They are currently only four points off second place and two behind Monaco and Nice in third and fourth, respectively.

Nevertheless, it is very worrying that Lyon's top-flight survival is hanging by a thread despite the fact that it has been a generally positive season for the club.

However, with manager Paulo Fonseca banned for nine months and the club still scrambling for money, the immediate future could look bleak.