The signing of Ghanaian forward Ernest Nuamah by Ligue 1 giants Olympique Lyonnaise has sparked intense scrutiny and calls for an investigation by numerous French clubs, according to reports from L’Équipe.
The 19-year-old player’s journey to Lyon began with a transfer to Belgian club Molenbeek from FC Nordsjaelland, but what has raised eyebrows is the complex multi-ownership structure involving Eagle Football, which sees Molenbeek as a sister club to Lyon.
Nuamah’s acquisition came with a hefty price tag, making it a record-breaking €25 million deal. Interestingly, when the obligation-to-buy clause comes into effect, the entire €25 million is expected to flow back to the Belgian club Molenbeek.
While Nuamah’s move to Molenbeek initially received FIFA approval, Lyon also gained upstream approval from the DNCG, even though they were under financial restrictions at the time. Despite these initial approvals, internal FIFA sources indicate that the deal will now undergo further scrutiny.
FIFA’s heightened interest in the transfer has been prompted by growing inquiries from Lyon’s competitors within Ligue 1. Molenbeek, a newly-promoted Jupiler Pro League club, had never seen a transfer fee of this magnitude, with their previous record standing at €3 million.
Since his contentious move to the Groupama Stadium, Nuamah has made four appearances for Lyon, although he has yet to find the back of the net. However, he demonstrated his scoring prowess while representing the Ghana Black Stars in their recent AFCON qualification matches against Central African Republic (CAR) last month. In a friendly match against Liberia, Nuamah notched a goal and an assist, further cementing his reputation as a promising young talent.
As the investigation unfolds, the football world eagerly awaits the outcome, which could have far-reaching implications for the future of multi-ownership structures in the sport.
