2005 – Michael Essien to Chelsea
Lyon produced a assertion denying experiences in England that there was an agreement with Chelsea to offer midfielder Essien, with Aulas then contacting off talks. Just after a prolonged transfer saga, Essien arrived to Stamford Bridge for £24.4m in August 2005.
2007 – Florent Malouda to Chelsea
Inspite of the protracted negotiations for Essien, Chelsea returned for Malouda two several years later. Lyon’s head of communications Oliver Blanc mentioned: ‘Contrary to what I have read, there is no agreement with Chelsea about Malouda.’ The winger duly signed for Chelsea in a £13m offer.
Florent Malouda done his move from Lyon to Chelsea in spite of denials in France
2008 – Hatem Ben Arfa to Marseille
Marseille have been the kinds who declared the acquire of Ben Arfa from their Ligue 1 rivals. Lyon turned down this, saying the shift would not come about until particular monetary guarantees were in location. They requested Ben Arfa to return to training, but he refused, and the go sooner or later happened following mediation with the LFP.
2009 – Karim Benzema to Serious Madrid
Supervisor Claude Puel denied the sale of Benzema in an interview with Le Parisien. He claimed: ‘We have to keep Benzema. It can be important and a priority for the potential of the club.’ But the attract of the Bernabeu was normally heading to prove also potent and the France striker joined that summer for 35 million euros.
Karim Benzema poses in True Madrid package following completing his transfer from Lyon
2012 – Hugo Lloris to Tottenham
Aulas entered into a war of words and phrases with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy throughout talks around the French keeper’s shift to London. ‘We have had persons speaking all evening with Levy. He talks a large amount and goes again on what we have agreed in creating. The matters as they ended up at 5am had been not the exact at 10am. I would place it at 50-50 that Hugo goes to Tottenham.’ The transfer did go by, albeit close to the deadline.
2016 – Corentin Tolisso to Napoli
Lyon went out and denied a L’Equipe report that they’d agreed to provide Tolisso with a Twitter publish. In the close, Tolisso turned down the go and reaffirmed his determination to Lyon – only to transfer to Bayern Munich 12 months later on.
2017 – Alexandre Lacazette to Arsenal
In February 2017, Aulas denied that Lacazette experienced asked to go away the club, proclaiming remarks made to a Canal Moreover Tv present had been taken out of context. Following a offer with Atletico Madrid collapsed, Lacazette joined Arsenal for a club report charge of £53m.
Alexandre Lacazette scores for Arsenal on one of his initially appearances for the club
2018 – Nabil Fekir to Liverpool
Another drawn out transfer saga involving a transfer to the Leading League. Studies prompt that Lyon had accepted a £54m present for Fekir from Liverpool. A club statement said Lyon ‘categorically denies’ the speculation about Fekir. That wasn’t accurate – Fekir agreed personalized terms with the Reds and did a welcome movie for the supporters, but failed his clinical simply because of a knee challenge. He duly signed for Real Betis in 2019.
2019 – Tanguy Ndombele to Tottenham
Aulas went on the radio to say ‘nothing is done, I can guarantee you’ immediately after reports that Tottenham had put in a bid for the midfielder. Aulas in the long run sanctioned a £55m transfer.
2020 – Memphis Depay to Barcelona
It was Depay who drove this go by, revealing Barcelona’s fascination in him. Aulas denied there experienced been any call, stating: ‘Memphis could have still left in August, but now he must remain with us for 2020-21. Opposite to what I have read through, there have been no exchanges with Barca, I do not assume that it is in Lyon’s curiosity to enable their captain to leave.’ He sooner or later remaining for the Nou Camp on a no cost the pursuing summer months.
Memphis Depay sooner or later was granted his desire to depart Lyon for Barcelona
2022 – Bruno Guimaraes to Newcastle United
Lyon issued yet another of their ‘categorical denials’ of a £30m agreement with Newcastle about midfielder Guimaraes. They added that: ‘In the transfer window time period wherever the slightest rumour is frequently presented as reality.’ Guimaraes done a £40m go to Tyneside just before deadline.
Source: The Independent