John Textor reveals his four truths about the transfer window

If there is one club that is active in January, it is Olympique Lyonnais. Indeed, after a very eventful first half of the season marked by poor results, internal clashes with Jean-Michel Aulas and the successive departures of Fabio Grosso after Laurent Blanc, the new Lyon management has not been passive in this transfer window and recorded as such. Five winter signings: Malik Fofana, Nemanja Matic, Adrisson, Lucas Perry and Gift Orban. An envelope of just under 40 million has already been distributed during this transfer window. Enough now to greatly strengthen the Lyon ranks under the orders of Pierre Sage, confirmed on the Gons bench during the winter. Very discreet in recent weeks, although he maintains a daily relationship with David Frio, the sporting director of OL, the president and owner of Olympique Lyonnais, John Textor, presents his big plan for the coming months.

“The transfer window always brings surprises, and sometimes when the opportunity presents itself you have to recruit a good player. Later, with three days left, it is true that it is difficult to be satisfied because we still have some outstanding priorities. … We want more experienced players who bring the same experience and the same leadership as Matic. We are optimistic. We want to finish the season in a better place than the position we currently occupy and continue our momentum next year. This transfer window allows us to do that. Of course, we will still have the summer transfer window to help us fill the last spots.

. In these words, the President of Leon clearly announced, in the columns of team Possible new arrivals before the deadline set for Thursday evening.

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Expected new movements!

Other files are still actively pending in the OL offices. The main ones were Arnaut Danjuma and Said Benrahma, aiming to bring new blood to the attacking side. It will also be necessary to inspect the construction site in midfield where Lyon leaders continue negotiations to strengthen its axis. Andre (Fluminense), Orel Mangala (Nottingham Forest) and Pierre-Emile Hodgeberg (Tottenham) are the names doing the rounds: “We have submitted significant offers for both players and we believe both would be delighted to come to Lyon. But his clubs have their own priorities, and Danjuma’s case is more complicated because Everton, who hold his rights on loan (from Villarreal), have little reason to release him. We hope that all parties can eventually come to an agreement. What’s new? A defender… and maybe another midfielder”

He clarified in an interview to our colleagues.

Far from consensus this season, Ryan Cherky was one of the only big market values ​​retained last summer, after the lucrative sales of Castelo Luceba and Bradley Barcola. But the OL president still maintains a certain faith in his young player. Selling the Blues international has never been an important winter objective, according to the American manager: “It was a budgetary plan, not a football plan… and football projects are prioritized. Cherky can help us win, and we need wins more than sales. If this means we risk losing an economic opportunity. , then we must take that risk. With eighteen months left on his contract, the time is right for that player to step up, contribute to our collective ambitions and show people why he is special.

After finally breaking free from a certain weight with DNCG, John Textor is banking more than ever on this winter window to breathe new life into the Lyon squad. For the moment, Ron Club’s XXL transfer window does not allow him to move away from the red zone of the Ligue 1 ranking, but work continues in Lyon: “Hands free? I am not stupid enough to take bait on this issue. The DNCG has extensive decision-making power while trying to maintain the financial viability of the teams in France and we must continue to make good financial decisions on a daily basis. I am delighted with our relationship with DNCG. I believe we are taking necessary steps to improve the financial health of the company, as they wanted.

, concluded the 58-year-old American. In any case, confidence reigns in the bays of the Groupe Stadium and Les Gons are determined to regain their status in French football, as quickly as possible.