Lyon, who are predominantly owned by Crystal Palace shareholder John Textor of the Eagle Football Group, splashed out £150 million on new recruits in the summer window.

French Ligue 1 club Lyon have been handed a severe sanction by the Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion, DNCG. The French football financial watchdog on Friday decided to hit Lyon with a provisional Ligue 2 relegation as well as a transfer ban and the supervision of their wages.

French club Olympique Lyonnais cannot make any signings in the January transfer window and will be relegated from Ligue 1 at the end of the season if they are unable to address financial mismanagement.