Lyon head coach Pierre Sage, in his recent press conference, commented on the future of the team's centerpiece player, Sergei. Coach Sager admitted that there has always been a possibility of Shelkey's departure and that the team is ready for it.
"We have been keeping an eye on Sergey and there are a lot of rumors surrounding him." Coach Saje said, "We had waited for his decision in Paris and also heard that he could go to Dortmund and various other clubs. So we had to face the reality and start preparing for his departure."
Coach Saje further explained that it may not make much sense to keep him training with the team as Shelkey may not have many playing opportunities in the team in the short term. "We respect the player's career plan and if he thinks leaving is a better option for him, we will understand and support it."
English Premier League club Fulham have reportedly reached a preliminary agreement with Lyon over the transfer of Shelkey for a fee of €15 million with a €5 million floating bonus. However, at the moment Shelkey himself is not interested in this transfer possibility and has made his position clear to the management of the Lyon club.
Shelkey was an integral part of Lyon last season, making 39 appearances for the team in all competitions, contributing 3 goals and 9 assists. He is assessed at €25 million on the German transfer market website, which fully proves his market value and potential.
On the future of Shelkey, Coach Saje said, "Let's see what happens on August 31st. Because by that time, if Shelkey is still a Lyon player, then things may be different. But I'm not sure that's going to be the case right now......." These words reveal both the uncertainty about Shelkey's future destination and the team's respect and understanding of the player's stay and departure.
