Following the takeover bid (OPA) for Olympique Lyonnais shares filed by Eagle Football, the holding company of American multimillionaire John Textor now holds 87.81% of the club’s capital, the club announced on Friday. French stock market policeman. At the end of this takeover bid, which ran from July 20 to August 2, the holding company acquired 16.4 million shares at a price of three euros per title and now owns some 154.5 million shares, announced the AMF.
The project of Eagle Football, which previously held some 78.5% of the capital of OL, was to buy back some 21.4 million shares, or 12.19% of the capital. Eagle Football had indicated that it had no intention of withdrawing OL from the Paris Stock Exchange at the end of this operation, nor of buying back the nearly 14.5 million shares of OL, i.e. 8, 23%, which still holds the company Holnest of Jean-Michel Aulas, historical figure of the club.
Olympique Lyonnais went under the American flag last December, when its takeover by John Textor and his holding Eagle Football was finalized, after six months of negotiations and several postponements.
The entry of Eagle Football, at the time with just over 77% of the capital of OL Groupe, represented a historic turning point for the L1 club, chaired for 35 years by Mr. Aulas. Jean-Michel Aulas was dismissed on May 5 from his position as CEO in favor of John Textor. He was appointed honorary chairman and must remain a director as long as his Holnest holding company holds voting rights and shares in the company.
On July 18, the same day the AMF validated the takeover bid, the National Directorate of Control and Management (DNCG) of the Professional Football League confirmed on appeal the measures to regulate the payroll and Club transfer fees. “Welcome to football in France!” had quipped John Textor in a press release regretting the decision of the DNCG.
