John Textor has reportedly taken a new step in the process of selling his shares in Crystal Palace. The owner of Olympique Lyonnais has reportedly started exclusive negotiations with an American-Saudi investment fund.
Banned from recruitment and administratively demoted to Ligue 2 by the DNCG, OL will perhaps quickly see the end of the tunnel. And as expected, the salvation of Les Gones could come thanks to Crystal Palace. According to information from The Athletic, John Textor would have come even closer to selling his shares in the English club.
The OL boss would have accepted a purchase offer made by an American-Saudi investment fund which would include Jason Kidd, former NBA star and current Dallas coach. John Textor, via the Eagle group, would even have entered into exclusive negotiations to part with the 45% of shares he holds in the current 15th in the Premier League.
Towards a nice check for the Eagle group
After rejecting a first offer from the fund led by the brothers Mansoor and Haider Syed (two Saudis who grew up across the Atlantic), John Textor would have accepted the next one, revised upwards, and estimated at nearly 178 million euros (185 million dollars).
Once the details have been settled between the Eagle group and the potential buyer, and in particular the financial guarantees, the repurchase of John Textor's shares in Crystal Palace will be subject to validation by the Premier League.
Once this last detail has been resolved, nothing will prevent the American businessman from letting go of the Eagles to concentrate on the clubs belonging to the Eagle group including Botafogo, Molenbeek and OL. Above all, and as John Textor assured him during his appearance before the DNCG, this will replenish the coffers of the Eagle group and therefore ensure the financial viability of Olympique Lyonnais.
A strong argument for the DNCG?
With this new step taken towards the sale of his interests in Crystal Palace, coupled with the already recorded departures of Jeffinho (Botafogo), Gift Orban (Hoffenheim) and Anthony Lopes (Nantes), John Textor seems well on his way to succeeding in his bet: bring cash into the Eagle group's coffers this winter. For the moment, the Rhone leader seems to be making efforts to comply with the rules imposed in France.
It remains to be seen whether this will be enough to convince the DNCG to reverse its initial judgment by reducing or even removing the sanctions imposed on OL. At a minimum, an agreement for the sale of his shares to Crystal Palace should give John Textor considerable arguments for his next appearances before the financial policeman of French football.
Jean-Guy Lebreton Journalist RMC Sport
