Olympique Lyonnais, struggling at the bottom of Ligue 1, is reportedly contemplating the sale of its key players, Alexandre Lacazette, a former Arsenal striker, and Corentin Tolisso, as they face a tough relegation battle.
Olympique Lyonnais (OL), currently at the bottom of Ligue 1, is reportedly considering the sale of former Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette (32) and Corentin Tolisso (29) during the upcoming winter transfer window.
This news comes from Le Progrès, as Lyon faces a relegation battle and looks at potential changes in their squad.
Lacazette, one of the club captains, returned to Lyon in the summer of 2022 alongside Tolisso, as part of the club’s effort to rebuild a team with strong local roots.
Last season, Lacazette was prolific, scoring 27 goals in Ligue 1, second only to Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé.
However, this season has seen a dip in his form, with just three goals so far and inconsistent appearances in the team.
Tolisso’s tenure at Lyon has been marred by injuries, similar to his time at Bayern Munich.
The financial aspect is also a factor in Lyon’s consideration.
Lacazette is on a high wage, earning €5.4m per year, with his contract running until 2025.
Tolisso is also on a significant salary of €4.8m per year, with his contract expiring in 2027.
The club is seriously contemplating their sale in January, as suggested by Le Progrès.
Lacazette’s career stats reflect a successful tenure at Arsenal, where he made 206 appearances and scored 71 goals.
At Lyon across both spells, he has played 323 games, scoring 163 goals.
This season, however, he has made nine appearances in Ligue 1, scoring three goals, averaging a goal every 232 minutes over a total of just 694 minutes played.
Given Lyon’s current league position (two points adrift at the bottom of Ligue 1 at the time of writing) and the need to potentially restructure financially and strategically, the future of both Lacazette and Tolisso at the club remains uncertain as the winter transfer window approaches.
Aubameyang criticism increases
Lacazette’s former Arsenal strike partner, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, is also going through something of a rough spell which shows no immediate signs of improving.
Aubameyang’s transfer to Marseille has drawn significant attention due to his lacklustre performances.
Known for his scoring ability at Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal and Barcelona, Aubameyang has struggled in Ligue 1, scoring just one goal in 12 games.
His lack of impact has provoked criticism from fans and media alike, with the leader of a Marseille fans’ group expressing frustration at his performance and questioning his commitment.
Despite Coach Gennaro Gattuso’s defence of Aubameyang, noting his only issue is not scoring, the criticism persists.
While Aubameyang has shown some promise in European competitions, his overall tally in Marseille stands at five goals and three assists in 17 matches.
Coming on the back of his poor spell at Chelsea, some are asking questions about his ability to regain his top form.