Olympique Lyonnais Cafe

[Looper121]

Skysports.com can reveal that Chelsea are planning a double raid on French champions Lyon.

The Premiership champions are widely thought to be keen on signing Michael Essien and they are also interested in his midfield team-mate Mahamadou Diarra.

Diarra is one of several Lyon players who has attracted the interest of a host of clubs after a number of impressive performances at home and abroad for Lyon.

The Mali international enjoyed an impressive campaign at Lyon last term helping the club claim their fourth successive French title and make the quarter finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Chelsea have declared an interest in Diarra and are thought to be keen to take him and Essien from Stade Gerland.

Lyon are keen to keep Diarra with chairman Jean-Michel Aulas insistent they have no plans to sell any of their top stars.

Diarra's agent Frederic Guerra has admitted that Chelsea have made an enquiry for the player, but that Lyon rejected their overtures.

"Chelsea want to sign Mahamadou," Guerra told skysports.com.

"I believe they want to sign two players from Lyon - Mahamadou and (Michael) Essien

"I think they made a move for him last week, but the Lyon president turned it down.

"We are now waiting for another proposition from Spain, Italy or England."

Chelsea can eat me...

[SportBoy333]

Damn English tabloid media. They dont let up do they ? They have Essien quoted saying he wants to go to Chelsea. Oh well see ya pal dont let the door hit your ass on the way out. Nice that Lyon will probably get them to grossly over pay for him. Lyon got him for 5 million from Bastia its not like there aren't other finds like that out there their are plenty of them. You cant keep this guy if he's bitching and whining about wanting to leave. I wouldnt be attracted to a team like Chelsea but thats just me. I would rather stay at Lyon and try to build them into one of the top European clubs but these moron soccer players dont think like that. They get pressured by outside influences to do things they normally wouldnt think of doing. I bet there's plenty of people in Essien's ear all the time telling him he HAS to go to England RIGHT NOW. Certainly the English tabloid press has written that constantly. He's probably happy where he is now but the outside pressures and influences have gotten to him and he's succumbed.

[guignol]

can lyon keep all their players, which is what they really want to do? maybe not. but one thing is crystal clear and incontrovertible. of diarra and essien, one will stay. when the press; english or otherwise, starts talking about both going to chelsea, it's just blather.

[sl7vk]

can lyon keep all their players, which is what they really want to do? maybe not. but one thing is crystal clear and incontrovertible. of diarra and essien, one will stay. when the press; english or otherwise, starts talking about both going to chelsea, it's just blather.

Perhaps neither of them go Guignol?
Essien nears Lyon agreement (http://skysports.planetfootball.com/list.asp?hlid=282682&cpid=24&CLID=&lid=11&title=Essien+nears+Lyon+agreement&channel=France)

[SportBoy333]

Aulas also said Nilmar and Frau are not leaving.

"There is no Nilmar case! Nilmar won't go to Troyes, Santos or Botafogo," added Aulas.

"It is out of the question that he leaves, we rely on him more than ever. Last season was a little difficult for him, but he is very young," he said.

"As for Pierre-Alain Frau, his second season will be better."

[guignol]

i never said essien or diarra was leaving, simply that one of them was definitely staying.

i've never heard anything concerning frau, rumors of his departure could only be the product of a very deranged mind.

nilmar is different, as a loan to a club that would give him a lot of work could be beneficial to all. but if JMA says differently, i believe him.

the players i worry about losing the most are wiltord and diarra (see this very interesting and scary article: http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,1498556,00.html#article_continue

i share these sentiments exactly, i only hope that houllier has grown, and he surprises both doyle and me. after all, he says losing juninho is "likely", so he doesn't know everything... :(

[SportBoy333]

2 rumored swap deals. A Essien-Drogba exchange and a Govou-Baros exchange.

http://skysports.planetfootball.com/list.asp?hlid=283963&cpid=24&CLID=&lid=11&title=Lyon+plan+swap+deals&channel=France

[SportBoy333]

I think I can see whats happening here. Drogba and Baros up front plus Wiltord will bring you plenty of goal scoring options. Now losing Govou and Essien in the midfield are holes but that is why Pedretti and Toulalan are being talked about coming in. Now those 2 arent as good as Essien and Govou but the Drogba and Baros upgrade up front more than compensates for that.

[DaeHaMinGuk]

I would think that Essien could bring in a better striker than Drogba... I know Drogba was good for Marseille, but his value at the moment is really low. I would do cash + Drogba for Essien.

[Forza_Italia]

drogba would be a good upgrade for lyon however baros has really struggled since his spectacular performance at the eurocup i dont think that baros is nearly as good of a player govou i would definalty rather see lyon lock up juninho

[SportBoy333]

http://news.maxifoot.com/20050613/news2005-06-13_38482.php

Lyon: priority Chamakh (13/06)
In search of a large attacker, the Olympic Lyonese assure to Monday morning in the columns of the daily newspaper the Team that Of Bordeaux Marouane Chamakh constituted a priority of recruitment. If the tracks Baros and Drogba nourish the rumours, OL A seems it thrown its reserved on the best Marine striker and white, author of 10 goals in championship this season. "One discusses with Nicolas de Tavernost (responsible for M6, the majority shareholder of the club). Marouane, it is the offensive priority of Bernard Lacombe. And in this sector, it is very seldom mistaken. A first proposal, raised was thus made. It is wanted. It is our priority "admitted Lyons president Jean-Michel Aulas. The proposal would be around 18 million euros, according to television of Bordeaux, TV7. 21 years the Moroccan attacker stated the week last not to more want to evolve/move in the Gironde and was shown very sensitive to the possibility of joining the club champion of France. The iron arm could last bus Bordeaux does not seem not decided to release its jewel, considered to be untransferable. Jean-Louis Triaud opposes firmly and asked for the assistance of M6 it to preserve it. (By Nicolas Lagavardan)

[SportBoy333]

Aulas wants a new 65,000 seat stadium

http://news.maxifoot.com

Lyon: Aulas sees very large (15/06)
Questioned by the newspaper the Platform, Jean-Michel Aulas, president Lyonnais, made share of a great ambition for its club and the unit of its city. According to JMA, the project of enlarging of the Gerland stage, wanted by the Lyons territorial community, is not satisfactory: "the project of the community consists in increasing the stage of Gerland to pass in 55000 places. But to pay 70 or 80 million euros for 15000 places and to solve half of our ambitions, it is expensive and not satisfactory." For him, better the construction of a new stage of 65000 places new bright burning coal is worth, for which it claims to have the funds necessary: "I am always for a stage of 65000 places modern and worthy of a European metropolis. The investment requires 250 Million euros approximately, one has the investors, that will not cost anything the city." According to Aulas, the Gerland stage would then be placed at the disposal of the club of local Rugby. (By Nicolas Perched)

[guignol]

latest transfer news: réal madrid interested in cris. He played for luxemburgo at cruzeiro, so it's a story worth following. :eek:

on the other hand, OL officially denies that pierre-alain frau will be used as bait to work out a deal for toulalan. especially as frau's old teammates pedretti (almost certainly) and monsoreau (possibly) could be gônes next year.

OL also confirms that they are still in talks concerning baros' possible transfer from liverpool.

[guignol]

Aulas wants a new 65,000 seat stadium

many thanks for this story SB333, but i had to go to the source, as the robot translation was somewhat opaque... here's mine:

Interviewed by La Tribune, Jean-Michel Aulas, president of Olympique Lyonnais, expressed huge ambition for his club and the entire city. According to Aulas, the enlargement of Gerland stadium planned by by the city is not satisfactory: "the city's project consists of enlarging Gerland to 55000 seats. But spending 70 or 80 million euros for 15000 seats and only meet half of our wish is expensive and unsatisfactory".

For him, it would be better to build a brand new 65000 seat stadium, for which he says he has found the funding necessary: "I"m still for a modern 65000 seat stadium worthy of a european metropolis. It would require an investment of approximately 250 million euros environ, we have the investors, it would cost the city nothing". According to Aulas, Gerland would then be made available to the local rugby club.

This scares me. because the only place i see something like this happening is out of town, and that would be a disaster for me. i love getting to the stadium in a few minutes on the metro. driving half an hour and spending another trying to park... non merci! :mad:

[jambon-beurre]

EXCLUSIVE ! :D Here's the photos of what could be the Lyon jerseys for next year. I don't have the photos of the white jersey.

Lyon away :
http://membres.lycos.fr/maillotsol/LyonExterior0506.jpg

Lyon third :
http://membres.lycos.fr/maillotsol/LyonThird0506.jpg

(credits : I got these photos on the soccerpulse.com forum)

[sl7vk]

EXCLUSIVE ! :D Here's the photos of what could be the Lyon jerseys for next year. I don't have the photos of the white jersey.

Lyon away :
http://membres.lycos.fr/maillotsol/LyonExterior0506.jpg

Lyon third :
http://membres.lycos.fr/maillotsol/LyonThird0506.jpg

(credits : I got these photos on the soccerpulse.com forum)

Wow... That Orange kit almost looks as bad as Nancy's.

[lefutur]

Wow... That Orange kit almost looks as bad as Nancy's.

i dont think its that bad. kind of reminds me of my first car...a rust colored Datsun 210 4-speed that tore up the road with an blistering acceleration of 0-60 mph in 32 seconds.

[sl7vk]

i dont think its that bad. kind of reminds me of my first car...a rust colored Datsun 210 4-speed that tore up the road with an blistering acceleration of 0-60 mph in 32 seconds.

LOL... :D

[fishbiproduct]

This scares me. because the only place i see something like this happening is out of town, and that would be a disaster for me. i love getting to the stadium in a few minutes on the metro. driving half an hour and spending another trying to park... non merci! :mad:

There's plenty of room for it sur la Place
Bellecour :D

[guignol]

Wow... That Orange kit almost looks as bad as Nancy's. i don't like them either, but i'm sure the color's not as orange as it looks in the photo. it's red i'm sure.