Football: The Lille club has been sold, Olivier Létang is the new president

Le Losc has officially changed hands.

Gerard Lopez sold the Lille club (L1) to the company Callisto, a subsidiary of the investment fund Merlyn Partners, a source familiar with the matter told AFP on Friday, confirming information from the daily L'Equipe.

In accordance with the information circulating when the announcement of a takeover offer was made known, Olivier Létang will assume the management of the club.

Christophe Galtier, the current Lille coach, remains in office.

Lopez pushed to the exit

Less than four years after buying the club from Michel Seydoux, the Spanish-Luxembourg businessman had to sell the northern club, which is very indebted, and it is Olivier Létang, former manager of Paris Saint-Germain and Rennes, who becomes the new president of Losc.

Gerard Lopez, who borrowed more than 225 million euros from Elliott Management during his first months in office, was pushed out by the American investment fund, to which he had repaid less than half of that sum. .

This sale, which seemed inevitable for a few days, paradoxically comes at a time when Losc has never seemed so solid and sure of its strength: qualified for the round of 16 of the Europa League and first in the championship, the Mastiffs will attempt on Sunday to keep their leader's chair during the shock against PSG, their dolphin.

Wednesday, a few hours after the announcement of the imminent transfer of the club, the Lille players had not trembled to win in Dijon (2-0) and thus consolidate their first place.