Pavel Šulc to Aston Villa from Olympique Lyonnais
Pavel Šulc · Incoming transfer · Olympique Lyonnais
Verdict Delivered
This rumor DIED. It was dropped from the board after going quiet, last rated 3%.
State of play
| Move | Olympique Lyonnais → Villa |
| Outcome | Never happened |
| Rated at the end | 3% |
| Resolved | October 29th |
Villa remain keen on the Lyon attacking midfielder after an approach in the summer window came to nothing, Sport Witness reported on October 15th, with Tutto Juve naming Villa and Atlético Madrid as Juventus's competition. Lyon want €50m and will not discount it, and there is no indication Villa will meet that price; no bid or talks are reported. Šulc, 25, joined Lyon from Viktoria Plzeň for €7.5m a year ago, is contracted until 2029, and is valued at €20m by Transfermarkt. Paulo Fonseca acknowledged in August that other clubs were watching him.
How the Story Moved
| Date | What changed | |
|---|---|---|
| August 6th | Tracked | Rumor opened on the board at 11% (linked) — source: But! Football Club, relayed by Football Place; The Hard Tackle. Villa are one of three Premier League clubs watching the Lyon attacking midfielder. But! Football Club, relayed by Football Place on August 6th, report that Villa and Everton have both made enquiries and that Leeds United, who have scouted him for months, are the furthest along; no club has lodged a formal offer. The French report is not clear on whether the Villa approach went to Lyon, to the player's representatives, or to both, which is worth saying plainly given only one outlet carries it. Šulc, 25, scored 11 and assisted three in Ligue 1 in his first season after joining from Viktoria Plzeň, adding a goal and three assists in the Europa League. He is contracted until 2029 and valued at around €20m, though French reporting has Lyon holding out for closer to €30m, and Paulo Fonseca has acknowledged the interest without indicating the club want to sell. He missed part of pre-season and Lyon's Champions League qualifier with knee inflammation after a late return from the World Cup. |
| August 20th | Verdict | Rumor died — dropped from the board at 11% |
| September 27th | Tracked | Rumor opened on the board at 9% (linked) — source: Hooligan Soccer, via Read Aston Villa (James Chettle) and CaughtOffside, September 27th. Villa are monitoring the Lyon attacking midfielder ahead of the January window, Hooligan Soccer report, relayed on September 27th by Read Aston Villa (James Chettle) and CaughtOffside; there has been no formal offer and no direct talks. The same report has Tottenham and Everton watching his situation through intermediaries, Leeds United in official contact with Lyon, and Juventus in exploratory discussions. Lyon want at least €50m for the 25-year-old Czech international, plus add-ons and a sell-on clause, and have him under contract until June 2029. He plays mainly as a 10 but can also play across the front line. |
| October 11th | Verdict | Rumor died — dropped from the board at 9% |
| October 15th | Tracked | Rumor opened on the board at 9% (linked) — source: Sport Witness (Naveen Ullal), October 15th, with Tutto Juve. Villa remain keen on the Lyon attacking midfielder after an approach in the summer window came to nothing, Sport Witness reported on October 15th, with Tutto Juve naming Villa and Atlético Madrid as Juventus's competition. Lyon want €50m and will not discount it, and there is no indication Villa will meet that price; no bid or talks are reported. Šulc, 25, joined Lyon from Viktoria Plzeň for €7.5m a year ago, is contracted until 2029, and is valued at €20m by Transfermarkt. Paulo Fonseca acknowledged in August that other clubs were watching him. |
| October 29th | Verdict | Rumor died — dropped from the board at 9% |
Timeline since the rumor joined the board.