Both sportingly and financially, SK Lommel is in a desperate situation. The Limburg club has only picked up one point in the last five matches, while its bank accounts are worrying.
The financial situation of SK Lommel is, quite simply, disastrous. Last season, the Limburg Challenger Pro League club lost 8.5 million euros, bringing the total debt to 44.1 million euros, according to figures from Importance of Limburg. And on a sporting level, the club which aspired to play the climb is 8th and has not won since the beginning of November, six games.
In the figures, the positive points were the sales of Vinicius Souza, Manfred Ugalde and Rafik Belghali, which brought in 17.5 million euros. However, personnel costs weighed heavily in the balance. They increased from 10.2 to 15.2 million euros, largely due to investments in training, notably at Jong Lommel.
SK Lommel is on a tightrope
To fill the financial gap, the owner, City Football Group (CFG), carried out a capital increase of 15 million euros. CFG took over the club in 2020 with a debt of just €2 million, but this has increased significantly since then. A structural solution must be found, according to him.
There is also a threat of change in the sporting field. Coach Steve Bould is under pressure, as is sporting director James McCarron. From Manchester, where the CFG has its offices, nothing has yet leaked, even if the position of the British duo seems to have become untenable.
As the New Year approaches, SK Lommel hopes to get things back on track quickly. Urgent work needs to be done, both on the pitch and behind the scenes, to get the club back into stable waters.
