Olympique Lyonnais (OL) got a crucial turnaround as the club management convinced the DNACG Appeal Board. Michele Kanget and Michael Gerlinger took over from John Textor, who had previously failed in his attempts. This decision prevented the club from relegating to League 2, but would have had positive consequences for the Reims Stadium, which had itself been relegated to sport. Jean-Pierre Caillot, president of the Stade de Reims, had raised questions as to the legality of the transfer of Thiago Almada, expressing his disagreement with OL remaining in Ligue 1. He told France Info that he had never doubted Lyon’s continued existence, stressing the importance of the stakes and the need for shareholders to support the club.

Thiago Almada, midfielder from Argentina, spent half a season at OL, scoring two goals and delivering four assists in 20 matches. His loan to the Lyon club ended on 30 June, and he returned to Botafogo in Brazil, where he was under contract until 2029. However, the future of the player remains linked to Lyon, which holds the economic rights of the international. Benfica Lisbon has shown a keen interest in Almada, and negotiations are under way for a contract extending until 2030. A first offer of EUR 35 million was refused, and the amount is expected to be around 40 million.

Although this transaction may represent a financial gain for OL, the club has already invested more than 91 million euros to acquire the economic rights of other players like Igor Jesus, Luiz Henrique and Thiago Almada. The departure of these players could therefore bring about 46.6 million euros, 11.6 million for Jesus and 35 million for Henrique. To make the investment on Almada profitable, OL should receive at least EUR 45 million, without taking into account any percentages on resales. This situation underlines the strategic importance of transfer management for the club.