Puel and the club are heading for court in order to settle up for the 12 months that were yet to run on his four-year deal when he left Lyon last month, with the erstwhile boss claiming €5 million in wages and potential bonuses. Yet even the worst-case scenario in front of the judges could hardly make the summation of Lyon's fortunes under Puel more chastening.
Over the last two seasons of the former Lille manager's tenure, Lyon spent a mind-boggling €110 million on players, making a total of €155 million since his 2008 arrival. With no trophies won and a style of football which infuriated the Gerland supporters, the only factor stopping Puel being fired more quickly was the further exorbitant expense that would be occurred. Unsurprisingly, the club's trading losses of €35 million for the financial year ending in June 2010 were the biggest in Ligue 1.
The summer 2009 signing of Michel Bastos was the clearest indicator of how much power within the club had shifted. Lille demanded €18 million for Bastos. Club legend Bernard Lacombe, previously omnipotent adviser to Aulas, baulked at the price but Puel insisted, and Aulas went ahead and paid the money to clinch the deal.