American businessman John Textor, who this year saw his bid to join SAD at Benfica, will be Lyon’s new majority shareholder, after the club’s general meeting of shareholders agreed to design a deal worth up to 700 million euros.
In March, two shareholders, the French Pathé (owning 19.38% of the capital) and investment fund IDG (19.85%), announced their intention to sell their properties, taking Jean-Michel Aulas, president for 35 years, looking for a new investor. The Brazilian owner of Botafogo and the Belgian Molenbeek (they still own 40 percent of the English in Crystal Palace) have been selected and will buy at least 66.56 percent of the capital.
“The project that I discovered in Lyon with Jean-Michel Aulas will be at the focus of our new organization and our investments in world football,” said Textor, who, meanwhile, in an interview with CBS, wasted no time in criticizing him. Ultra-rich clubs, such as Paris Saint-Germain.
“My plan is to create an ecosystem of high-profile co-op clubs that share the identity of identifying talent,” he explained, speaking a little when he took on Botafogo coaching in Brazil, “The Botafogo Way.” “I remain concerned that there is competitive domination by government clubs and other wealthy clubs, which is harming the football scene. I hope to show a different approach, to show that clubs and society can cooperate.”
Textor is hoping to help the club, where Portuguese goalkeeper Anthony Lopez plays, improve their eighth position compared to last season.
The official sale of shares should only end in September.
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