John Textor and Botafogo plan legal action against Lyon over alleged phantom transfers | OneFootball

John Textor and Botafogo plan legal action against Olympique Lyonnais to recover unpaid sums linked to alleged phantom transfers in July 2024.

The Brazilian club said in a statement it has already filed proceedings against Eagle Football and will begin action against OL to recover money it says is owed.

The complaint centres on deals announced to Lyon during Textor’s tenure, including Luiz Henrique and Igor Jesus, who instead joined Zenit St Petersburg and Nottingham Forest. The moves were never recorded by the LFP.

Textor has been sidelined at holding company Eagle Football, which owns both clubs, but remains in charge at Botafogo after a Brazilian court froze Eagle’s stake at the end of July.

Botafogo won the 2024 Brazilian league and the Copa Libertadores, yet now face serious financial strain. FIFA imposed a transfer ban on 31 December 2025 over a debt linked to Thiago Almada’s move, and late January brought a court order blocking player sales in Brazil.

Eagle Football has also been hit by Lyon’s debts, which nearly brought an administrative relegation last summer. Textor lost operational control of OL in June 2025 to Ares, the fund that lent 425 million euros for the 2022 takeover.

Source: L'Équipe