This time, the Lyon supporters are fixed. Pending a major change at the head of their club for several weeks, they have just learned this Monday evening, through a Press releasethat the holding company Jean Michel Aulas Holnest, as well as Pathé and IDG Capital, “have entered into exclusive negotiations with Eagle Football Holdings, with a view to the acquisition by the latter of a majority stake in OL Groupe, followed by a simplified mandatory takeover bid”. .
Suffice to say that the American entrepreneur John Textorat the head of Eagle Football Holdings and known for owning three other professional football clubs, Botafogo (Brazil), Crystal Palace (England) and Molenbeek (Belgium), capped his compatriot Foster Gillett, announced favorite par The Team June 8. On this occasion, OL Groupe announces that “the value of the company is estimated at 798 million euros on July 1, 2022, and at 884 million euros after the capital increase”.
Aulas CEO of OL for “at least three more years”
The 56-year-old businessman was therefore chosen on Monday by the board of directors to take over from Pathé and IDG Capital within OL Groupe, of which they held 19.36% and 19.85% respectively. capital. John Textor, who will allow a capital increase of 86 million euros, wants to keep Jean-Michel Aulas as president of the club with “a mandate as CEO of OL Groupe renewed for at least three years”, as specified the press release. “This new shareholder will be an accelerator for our current and future projects. I am proud and happy to continue, with the support of John Textor, to write the future of Olympique Lyonnais”, rejoices Jean-Michel Aulas in the same press release. The future new majority shareholder also goes there with his message, partly intended for supporters.
“Olympique Lyonnais will be the cornerstone of our project,” he says. I want to give all the fans of Olympique Lyonnais the additional means so that the institution finds the highest level, in France and in Europe, while respecting the values of OL’s DNA such as youth, work, abnegation and this spirit which allows all the talents of the whole world to have access to the high level thanks to our involvement in the academies. Seen from the United States, l’OL is the perfect platform to make football a success story. “As the last trophy won (the Coupe de France) dates back to 2012, the Lyon supporters will perhaps catch themselves dreaming tonight of a better tomorrow.
