Lyon will only sell one star, says Aulas

Lyon will only let one of their sought-after stars leave at the end of the season and Memphis Depay is not guaranteed to stay, according to president Jean-Michel Aulas.

Several of the Ligue 1 side’s eye-catching talents have won admirers during the club’s run to the Champions League knockout rounds.

Former Manchester United winger Depay, 25, has been linked with a return to the Premier League, while Ferland Mendy and Tanguy Ndombele are reportedly in the sights of European powerhouses.

Arsenal are among the teams thought to be chasing promising midfielder Houssem Aouar, but Aulas has big plans for the 20-year-old.

“It would obviously be easier [to sell Depay rather than Aouar],” Aulas told Telefoot.

“Houssem is scheduled to be part of the European champion team that is sure to come from Lyon in the years to come.

“We will only allow one player who has interest to leave. I don’t know which one yet, because I think a lot of them will have interest.

“The offers and the desires of the players are elements that always have to be taken into account. I have always known that it is not automatically my own desires that decide transfers.”

Stretch your body, stretch your mind! Knowledge is power!  pic.twitter.com/AiIw25A6id

— Memphis (@Memphis) March 8, 2019

Lyon staved off Liverpool’s attempts to sign Nabil Fekir at the end of last season and Aulas is hopeful the club captain will remain at Groupama Stadium for the foreseeable future.

“We are making a big, big effort to convince Nabil, our world champion, coming from the academy, to stay,” he said.

Aulas’ preference for the future of head coach Bruno Genesio is less clear after he confirmed the pair would hold talks before the Champions League clash away to Barcelona on Wednesday.

The last-16 tie is finely poised following a 0-0 first-leg draw in France.