Spanish newspaper AS claims that Lille FC in France is like a goldmine, drawing attention in European football with its unique player trading strategy. The Lille management team has an exceptional business mind, not only insisting on high prices during transfers, but also repeatedly winning on the negotiating table, becoming one of the most profitable clubs in Ligue 1.
The most recent blockbuster deal saw center-back Lenny Yoro being transferred to Premier League powerhouse Manchester United for a base transfer fee of €62 million, plus €8 million in add-ons. This marked another brilliant achievement for Lille in the player transfer market, with Yoro’s transfer fee ranking third highest in the club’s history, second only to Nicolas Pepe and Victor Osimhen.
Pepe was transferred to Arsenal for a whopping €80 million in the 2019/2020 season, but his performance in London did not meet expectations; while Osimhen joined Napoli for a transfer fee of €77.5 million, previously Lille had only spent €22.5 million to bring him in.
Over the past decade, Lille’s transfer net income has reached €321.5 million, making it one of the clubs with the highest transfer net income in Europe. Besides Pepe, Osimhen, and Yoro, there was also Botman’s transfer to Newcastle for €37.5 million, and Hazard’s transfer to Chelsea for €35 million. Another star player, Leo, joined AC Milan for €35 million, whereas he joined Lille as a free agent previously.
Lille is expected to continue leading the income charts in this year’s transfer window. Following Yoro’s massive transfer, the next focus will be on striker Jonathan David, whose contract expires in 2025, with Premier League teams showing strong interest. The expected transfer fee is between €40 million and €50 million.
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