Football Season Guide

Lyon have had a traumatic summer in which the club was briefly relegated to Ligue 2 because of financial problems only to receive a reprieve following an appeal. Demotion would have come because of concerns over the finances of the team, although the board have worked hard to raise over €70 million in sales. OL have limited the damage. Rayan Cherki had been brilliant and could not be kept, but otherwise, they have managed to offload squad players in the main. Goalkeeper Lucas Perri is the exception to this, yet the Brazilian was certainly not a player who was indispensable. There is still a certain confusion to the way Lyon are being run, summed up by the fact they agreed a deal for Matt Turner and then needed to loan him immediately out because of the cost of the operation. Lyon have also been reliant on Brazilian side Botafogo making sales to raise funds for owner John Textor. Lyon’s current position means that they have been forced to snap up players with potential. In Pavel Sulc and Tyler Morton, who both arrived in early August, they have two particular gems. Ruben Kluivert and Afonso Moreira from Portuguese football are greater question marks meanwhile, The squad, meanwhile, looks a little patchy, particularly with European football to juggle. Georges Mikautadze stands alone as the clear No.9 while Malick Fofana will be aiming to continue his electric form on the left if he is not sole. Indeed, this lack of depth is evident across the park, with the exception of central midfield, where Lyon have an abundance of players and will look to move some on. One young man who will not be getting shifted this summer is 18-year-old prospect Khalis Merah, who has looked excellent in pre-season and has already been earmarked as one to watch. OL also need a goalkeeper. They have no obvious No.1 going into the season, with Remy Descamps, habitually second string, in line to start.