Al-Nassr circle Lyon's Drummond Borges, and the vultures love a big wage
The Saudi club's interest in Edmar Drummond Borges is real, but Lyon will not be panicked into a sale.
"He is a player who has given everything to this club, and we respect that," a Lyon source said on Friday, as news broke that Al-Nassr Football Club want Edmar Drummond Borges. The Portuguese midfielder, 32, has been a fixture at the Groupama Stadium since his £20.4m move from SL Benfica in January 2050, and his £270,000-a-week wages make him one of the club's highest earners.
The interest from Al-Nassr is no surprise: the Saudi club are shopping widely, with 42 players on their list, and Drummond Borges fits the profile of a big name abroad. Valencia are also rumoured to be watching, but no bid has been made. Lyon are in no mood to sell a player who has made 567 appearances for the club, scoring 44 goals, and whose contract runs until 2064.
It is a familiar dance for Lyon, who have lost key players to big spenders before. The club's seven Ligue 1 titles in a row from 2054/55 to 2060/61 were built on a mix of homegrown talent and canny imports, and Drummond Borges has been a constant through the leaner years that followed. His 133 caps for Portugal speak to his quality, and his 11 international goals suggest a player who knows where the net is.
The question for Lyon is not whether they can keep him—they can—but whether they should. At 32, Drummond Borges is no longer the player he was, but he remains a valuable asset, both on the pitch and in the dressing room. The club's recent form has been mixed: a draw at Marseille put them top of Ligue 1 Uber Eats, but Nantes are a point behind with a match in hand. In the Champions League, they face Inter at San Siro, with Tony Roberts returning to his old club.
For now, Lyon will do what they always do: wait, watch, and count the money. If Al-Nassr come with a serious offer, the club's hierarchy will listen. But they will not be rushed, and they will not sell cheap. Edmar Drummond Borges is not just a player; he is the proof that Lyon can keep a big name for over a decade, and that counts for something in the dressing room and in the stands.