Jean-Michel Aulas defends transfer business and compares Lyon to Liverpool | OneFootball

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas held a press conference this afternoon to discuss the club’s transfer business this past window, which saw them bring in three players – Dejan Lovren, Amin Sarr and Jeffinho – but notably fail to bring in a defensive midfielder, with efforts for a number targets going awry.

He explains that the time spent on bringing in João Gomes – who went to Wolves instead – delayed other potential deals, while an issue with Rayo Vallecano mean Pathé Ciss could not complete his move.

Aulas notably addresses the fact Lyon currently find themselves in tenth place, comparing the team’s situation to Liverpool’s – the 2019 European champions are ninth in the Premier League – and explaining that big clubs like theirs go through cycles. For the owner, though, OL’s dealings remain “ambitious“, as he aims for a return to European football by the end of the campaign.

He also lamented the criticism aimed at directors Vincent Ponsot and Bruno Cheyrou, insisting that the club was doing good work and that there was a “lack of respect” on the part of those judging given the team’s past success, before highlighting the difficulties that the club was going through.

For Aulas, the club has “great quality” people working for it and that a restructuring would not be necessary. He also took aim at former sporting director Juninho, with whom he has been in a public war of words, claiming that the team was “starting from zero” after the former midfielder’s departure 13 months ago.

GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin