The most expensive player in history never set foot at the club, untraceable funds. Lyon launches an attack on John Textor and his financial shenanigans.
The Group recently discovered that third parties were invoking guarantees granted between August 2023 and April 2025 by the Company or its subsidiary OL SASU to cover obligations assumed by the Botafogo and Molenbeek clubs (owned by Eagle Bidco and linked to former executive Mr. John Textor). These guarantees were not known and had not been reported in the financial statements published by the Company in recent years.
The main terms of the guarantees invoked are as follows:
A guarantee under Swiss law dated August 2023, signed by EFG, in favour of a football club from which Molenbeek had acquired a player, covering any unpaid amounts by Molenbeek in that context (initial maximum amount: €30M; amount claimed from EFG by the beneficiary of the guarantee: €1.1M)
A guarantee under English law dated March 2024, granted jointly and severally by OL SASU and Eagle Bidco, in favour of a factoring company of a club from which Botafogo had acquired a player, to cover any unpaid amounts by Botafogo in that context (initial maximum amount: €19.9M, including €3.1M in factoring costs charged to Botafogo; amount claimed from OL SASU by the beneficiary of the guarantee: €3.9M, including interest);
Based on information currently available, there would also be a guarantee under English law dated April 2025, signed by OL SASU, in favour of the same institution as in the preceding guarantee but acting this time as a lender to Botafogo SAF, to cover any unpaid amounts by Botafogo under that loan (initial maximum amount: approximately €30M; amount the beneficiary has reserved the right to call upon OL SASU for: €14.8M); this guarantee secures the same loan as an alleged receivable, assigned as collateral by Botafogo to the same beneficiary, relating to sums owed in connection with player transfers between Botafogo and OL that never actually took place.
The Group disputes the validity of these commitments and will take all necessary measures to defend its interests.
These commitments, assuming they are valid are presented as off-balance-sheet commitments at their estimated nominal amount in the financial statements of the companies concerned.
> According to information from RMC Sport, it appears that the most expensive player ever signed by OL (over €40 million) never set foot at the Decines training center: Brazilian center forward Igor Jesus, now a player for Nottingham Forest. As for his compatriot Luis Henrique, who transferred in January 2025 from Botafogo to Zenit Saint Petersburg, his economic “rights” were credited to OL’s accounts.