Hit hard by the global economic crisis, Ligue 1 giants Olympique Lyonnais president Jean-Michel Aulas has announced a five-year long austerity plan which aims at considerably reducing the wage bill of the club.
There was a time when http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Olympique-Lyonnais-c40130 used to be the highest-spending club in the French Ligue 1. However, things have drastically changed for the seven-time Ligue 1 champions. Now, Les Gones have been forced to think wisely before making any player transaction.
Stronghold of French football at the advent of the new millennium, the last three seasons have been trophy-less and things might not change in the coming years as well. Since the 2008 crisis, Lyon have been making really careful investments.
Already discreet in this summer’s transfer window, Les Gones might have to further tighten their pockets in the future transfer windows.
Due to this, the board of the Rhone club has announced an unprecedented austerity plan which aims at lowering the wage bill at the club of 20 million Euros. Furthermore, the club is now looking to recoup at least 40 million Euros through player transfer.
“The group confirms its strategy of economic sustainability with the development of resources resulting from the completion of the Stade des Lumieres. The group wants to gradually reduce the wage bill by around 20 million Euros.”
In an attempt to mitigate the recent losses, the club will continue to promote the contract extension culture of players who will prove to be important for the future of the club.
“OL Group provides a secure asset with the extension of contracts of players. The project is to optimise recruitment. It is also banking on “integrating an innovative training values of coherence of the game and player’s overall development”.”
Things are certainly changing at the club with the announcement of a new austerity plan at the club. Lyon will now enter a new phase in its history and though winning trophies will become harder than before, the club knows that the correct implementation
of the austerity plan will ensure the club’s financial sustainability in the future.
However, fans can be pleased by the fact that the club might be taken over by a wealthy investor in the future which would certainly raise the level of the club in the future.
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