Former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui linked with Lyon job

According to Sky Sports and Sports Zone, Olympique Lyonnais may consider a move for former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Julen Lopetegui. 

Laurent Blanc still holds the reins at the club, but perhaps not for much longer. The Frenchman has had to broach frequent questions about his job security, and following a 4-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain over the weekend, his job is hanging by a thread, according to L’Équipe. 

Reports from L’Équipe and The Athletic would suggest that Lyon’s search for a successor is already underway. According to the latter, former Chelsea manager Graham Potter rejected an approach from the club, that currently sit rock bottom of Ligue 1 after four games. The Englishman doesn’t feel as though the timing is right for him to return to management. 

However, there are seemingly other targets. It is thought that Lyon, who are in a precarious financial position, are in search of a manager that is currently out of work, so as to avoid paying large compensation fees. Lopetegui, who left Wolves just prior to the beginning of the Premier League season, falls into that category. According to Sky Sports, Lyon are likely to make an approach for the out-of-work Spanish manager.

Sports Zone have added that Lopetegui’s agent Jorge Mendes is looking to involve himself in placing the next manager in the dugout of the Groupama Stadium. He was convinced that that would be Botafogo’s Bruno Lage, a manager who already works at a John Textor-owned club, however, it may ultimately be Lopetegui who takes the role at Lyon. 

GFFN | Luke Entwistle