Lyon have made plenty of cash over the course of the last two decades by selling some of their most prized assets
Lyon are not just one of the most successful teams in France, winning seven Ligue 1 titles in the first decade of the 21st century, but they are also a popular destination for Europe's elite clubs when they look to strengthen their teams.
There was Michael Essien who made the move to Chelsea after impressing at OL, Karim Benzema earned himself a move to Real Madrid and there are many more who made the step up from Lyon over the course of the last two decades alone.
In 2022 alone, Lyon twice sold a player in deals worth over €40 million, with Brazil internations Bruno Guimaraes and Lucas Paqueta both leaving the French outfit for Premier League clubs.
Let's take a look at the players that have made Lyon the most money since the turn of the millennium.
Olympique Lyonnais most expensive sales by season
Season
Biggest sale
Fee
Total sales
2022-23
Lucas Paqueta
€42.95M/£38.66M
€46.35M/£41.72M
2021-22
Bruno Guimaraes
€42.10M/£37.89M
€95.60M/£86.04M
2020-21
Bertrand Traore
€18.40M/£16.56M
€50.60M/£45.54M
2019-20
Tanguy Ndombele
€60M/£54M
€158.32M/£142.49M
2018-19
Mariano Diaz
€21.50M/£19.35M
€90.10M/£81.09M
2017-18
Alexandre Lacazette
€53M/£47.70M
€119.55M/£107.60M
2016-17
Samuel Umtiti
€25M/£22.50M
€27.30M/£24.57M
2015-16
Clinton N'Jie
€14.10M/£12.69M
€26.80M/£24.12M
2014-15
Naby Sarr
€1M/£900,000
€1.50M/£1.35M
2013-14
Dejan Lovren
€10M/£9M
€24.50M/£22.05M
2012-13
Hugo Lloris
€12.60M/£11.34M
€30.10M/£27.09M
2011-12
Jeremy Toulalan
€11M/£9.90M
€22M/£19.80M
2010-11
Jean II Makoun
€6.20M/£5.58M
€10.82M/£9.73M
2009-10
Karim Benzema
€35M/£31.50M
€53M/£47.70M
2008-09
Hatem Ben Arfa
€12M/£10.80M
€34M/£30.60M
2007-08
Florent Malouda
€19M/£17.10M
€63.50M/£57.15M
2006-07
Mahamadou Diarra
€26M/£23.40M
€47.33M/£42.59M
2005-06
Michael Essien
€38M/£34.20M
€43.40M/£39.06M
2004-05
Peguy Luyindula
€10M/£9M
€22.50M/£20.25M
2003-04
Jeremie Brechet
€3M/£2.70M
€4.15M/£3.74M
2002-03
Marc-Vivien Foe
€700,000/£630,000
€700,000/£630,000
2001-02
Steve Marlet
€17.60M/£15.84M
€28.78M/£25.90M
2000-01
Frederic Kanoute
€5.63M/£5.06M
€5.63M/£5.06M
TOTAL
€1.006b/£905.9m
*All figures are taken from Transfermarkt unless stated otherwise.
Lyon top 10 most expensive player salesGetty Images10Lucas Tousart | €25m/£22.8m | Hertha | 2019
After impressing for the Lyon B side between 2015 to 2016, Tousart was promoted to the senior team and the combative midfielder featured for over 100 games for the senior team for the best part of five years.
In January 2020, he was sold for €25 million (£22.8m) to Hertha, but he would complete that season at Lyon before making the move to the Bundesliga.
Arguably his best moment for Lyon came during that final spell when his goal shocked Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie that season.
Tousart has now played over 70 games for Hertha.
AdvertisementDenis Doyle/Getty Images9Mahamadou Diarra | €26m/£17.6m | Real Madrid | 2006
Part of an incredible midfield trio with Michael Essien and Juninho, Diarra helped Lyon win Ligue 1 in each of the four seasons he spent at the club.
In 2006, then Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello famously asked club president Ramon Calderon to sign three players: "Diarra, Diarra and Diarra."
Los Blancos paid €26m (£17.6m) for the combative midfielder.
Diarra went on to help Real Madrid win LaLiga in 2007 after a four-year gap, scoring a header in the 81st minute to help Madrid beat Mallorca in their crucial final game of the season to just hold off Barcelona.
Getty Images8Michael Essien | €38m/£24.4m | Chelsea | 2005
After rejecting Paris Saint-Germain, Essien moved to Lyon in 2003, playing as a box-to-box midfielder and establishing himself as one of the best young prospects in the game at the time.
The Ghanaian scored for Lyon just five minutes into his debut against Auxerre in 2003.
After a successful spell that saw him lead Lyon to the quarter-finals of the 2004-05 Champions League, he won the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award and was nominated for the 2005 FIFA World Player of the Year award.
Chelsea came calling in the summer of 2005, smashing their transfer record and paying €38m (£24.4m) for Essien.
7Karim Benzema | €35m/£30m | Real Madrid | 2009
In 2008, Benzema was among the most in-demand strikers in Europe after his incredible performances for Lyon.
The Frenchman was named Ligue 1's Player of the Year and also made his way into the Team of the Year after finishing as the league's top scorer to help secure his fourth league title and first Coupe de France.
Real Madrid came calling in 2009 and agreed to pay the €35m (£30m) demanded by Lyon.
After an initial period of struggle, Benzema established himself as one of the greatest strikers of all time, winning 23 trophies with Real Madrid, including five Champions League titles, four of which came between 2014 to 2018.
His place at the top of the game was confirmed when he was named the Ballon d'Or winner in October 2022.