Fresh evidence has emerged in the financial scandal surrounding former Lyon owner John Textor – the American businessman is accused of siphoning off economic rights to Botafogo winger Jefferson Savarino via a "fictitious transfer" in March, sparking a bitter dispute between the two clubs.
Having once controlled both Lyon and Botafogo, Textor was forced out after Lyon narrowly avoided relegation due to failing DNCG (Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion) financial checks. He has since demanded nearly €65 million from Lyon, with his Eagle Football Group claiming several Botafogo-related transfers are at the center of the dispute.
During Textor’s tenure, player movements between Lyon and Botafogo were frequent, involving clubs like Nottingham Forest and Russia’s Zenit. Even when Lyon was banned from signing players by DNCG last winter, Argentine midfielder Thiago Almada joined on loan from Botafogo – a deal whose details drew objections from multiple Ligue 1 clubs, leading to Almada’s summer move to Atlético Madrid.
Most shockingly, Lyon acquired future economic rights to three Botafogo players for a total of €98.5 million, including Brazilian winger Luiz Henrique, who never played for Lyon. When the player moved from Botafogo to Zenit, the €33 million transfer fee ended up in Lyon’s accounts. The identities of the other two players remain unknown, with no connection to Almada in the relevant documents.
