The cash side of Fonseca’s departure
Paulo Fonseca’s exit will not leave Lyon empty-handed. RMC Sport reports that the club will collect €5 million in compensation when the coach joins Sporting, where he is set to succeed Rui Borges. Lyon also stand to save close to €2.8 million in salary.
The sporting cost is harder to price. Fonseca is leaving mid-season, and assistant Jorge Maciel will take charge for the next two games: Real Sociedad in the Europa League, then Brest in Ligue 1.
no renewal
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Vicens leads the list, Sage stays put
Lyon’s board wants a coach who can keep the work done under Fonseca going while adding fresh ideas. According to RMC, the favourite is Carlos Vicens, a 43-year-old Spaniard who came through Manchester City’s youth ranks, has Pep Guardiola’s backing and was sacked by Braga a little over a year after taking the job.
Two other names are out. Thiago Motta will not come to the Rhône, his entourage says. And Pierre Sage has not been contacted, even though his name keeps surfacing. Sage coached Lyon from November 2023 to January 2025 and has never hidden his attachment to the club. He is now 18th in the Premier League with Crystal Palace and is under contract there until 2029, so Lyon have made no approach.
A return to his home city is not impossible one day. For this vacancy, it looks closed.
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