Lyon, Jan 29: Lyon will hire Paulo Fonseca as its new coach, a person with direct knowledge of the deal has told The Associated Press.
The person requested anonymity because the deal has yet to be announced officially.
Fonseca will replace Pierre Sage, who was fired despite leading the French league club out of a crisis last season and having the team within reach of a Champions League place in this campaign.
Sage’s dismissal on Tuesday followed a 1-1 draw with Nantes in Ligue 1 over the weekend and left many observers baffled. Sage had rapidly become a fans’ favorite after guiding Lyon from the bottom of the standings to a sixth-place finish last season.
And after 19 matches this season, Lyon is sixth in the league — just four points off a Champions League spot — and in a good position to qualify for the knockout stage of the Europa League.
Lyon, however, said the decision to part ways with Sage was a “sporting choice.” Lyon is owned by American businessman John Textor, who visited the club in person this week.
Textor, a 59-year-old digital media and entertainment entrepreneur, owns several teams, including in Belgium (RWD Molenbeek), and Brazil (Botafogo) as part of his multi-club model that is becoming more common in soccer.
Textor had been in regular contact with Fonseca in recent years and previously tried to hire him. The former Lille coach has been out of a job since he was fired by AC Milan on Dec. 30.
