OL can still believe in the arrival of Saïd Benrahma!

OL is stunned. Sixteenth in Ligue 1 and in great pain since the start of the season, the club chaired by John Textor had decided to show its teeth during this winter window. After having completed the arrivals of Malick Fofana, Gift Orban, Nemanja Matic and Orel Mangala, the upper echelons of Lyon were counting on finishing this month of January in style by offering themselves Saïd Benrahma (28 years old). Yes, but now, if all the lights were green for a loan of 5 million euros with a purchase option of 15 million euros, the deal finally collapsed in the final seconds of the transfer window. The reason ? West Ham did not send the necessary documents on time while Olympique Lyonnais, for their part, “entered all administrative data on the dedicated FIFA platform (FIFA TMS)”.

West Ham admits last minute problems!

Incomprehensible, OL was quick to express its frustration through an official press release. “This February 2, Olympique Lyonnais deeply regrets the failure of the transfer of Saïd Benrahma, for reasons beyond its control, and questions the behavior of West Ham which failed to finalize the required administrative procedures despite all agreements concluded”. Response from the Hammers a few hours later: “West Ham United can confirm that the agreement on the last day of the transfer window for Saïd Benrahma to join Olympique Lyonnais was not concluded before the deadline, with the deal unable to be concluded before 11 p.m.”. A rather vague answer which should logically not close this incredible case.

With this in mind and as announced by The Team, OL is already considering an appeal to FIFA to win its case. As a reminder, West Ham also blocked the departure of Pablo Fornals to Real Betis, explaining that he was the victim of a computer bug which prevented him from registering the necessary documents. This Friday and a few hours after the shock announcement of this aborted deal, the French daily returns, despite everything, to the possible solutions for Les Gones in order to try to validate a posteriori the transfer of the Algerian striker. And the team led by Pierre Sage has reason to believe it. So, The Team affirms, in this respect, that the LFP confirms, for its part, that OL did everything according to the rules of the art. “OL have sent all the necessary documents, but West Ham have not entered all the transfer data”indicates the French football authority.

OL can believe it but…

It now remains to discuss the procedure to follow for OL. In the hours to come and to hope to afford Saïd Benrahma, the Lyon leaders will therefore have to contact FIFA’s legal services and request a grace period. To support this request, OL will be obliged to present a complete file proving that all the documents were signed and that it was, ultimately, only administrative negligence on the part of West Ham. Asked about this, David Moyes, the Hammers coach, confirmed this scenario. “It seems that we had some last minute problems with the administrative documents (for Benrahma)”before showing his optimism for the deal concerning Fornals and Real Betis. “I think there remains a chance that Pablo’s transfer will be validated”. If the game is not completely over and OL still have their chances, certain precedents prove that the Rhone club is still far from the goal…

As a reminder, Paris Saint-Germain had also suffered this type of scenario during the 2023 winter transfer window. After a 2022 World Cup in Qatar finished in a superb fourth place with Morocco, Hakim Ziyech wanted, in fact, to leave Chelsea to find playing time. Yes, but if the club from the French capital thought they had completed the loan of the 29-year-old winger, the Blues decided otherwise. After sending an incorrect document, then unsigned, on several occasions, FIFA did not approve the deal, the deadline having passed. Despite an appeal made by the reigning French champion, the LFP legal commission, for its part, rejected the Parisian request and the former Ajax player, now on loan from the Blues to Galatasaray, remained in London . At OL, a completely different outcome is now hoped for…