A few months after having to leave Lille, who have since become French champions, Gerard Lopez is back in business in French Ligue 1. (Photomontage: Maison Moderne. Photos: Maison Moderne/Archives; Shutterstock)

A few months after having to leave Lille, who have since become French champions, Gerard Lopez is back in business in French Ligue 1. (Photomontage: Maison Moderne. Photos: Maison Moderne/Archives; Shutterstock)

French football’s DNCG financial watchdog confirmed on Tuesday that Girondins de Bordeaux will finally retain their place in Ligue 1 this season, allowing Gerard Lopez to finalise his purchase of the club.

"The club is saved! It is a great joy, which I share with all those who supported us in this project and who fought to save this great club. It's a great day for the Girondins and we will now set about implementing this sporting and economic project which was validated this [Monday] evening.,” Lopez wrote. “The DNCG's decisions on controlling the wage bill and the purchase and resale of players are in line with the club's healthy management model that I presented today. A new page in the club's history is now opening and we are all going to write it together.”

Gerard Lopez was confident on Monday evening, after his appearance before the Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion, the financial watchdog of French football. The DNCG confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that it had overturned an initial decision and  will allow Girondins de Bordeaux to continue playing in Ligue 1 during the 2021-2022 season.

According to the Luxembourg entrepreneur’s plans, the club will have at its disposal a transfer budget of some  €40 million. That money will come from selling on some 13 current players, with plans to recruit just nine new players in their stead.

As Lopez has invariably repeated, his strategy is to rely on the quality of the squad and the training centre to develop the team. The club sells those players who are now in the process of being developed while continuing to train future talent. This is a that does not please everyone involved in football, but that has proven successful as Lopez showed at Lille, who are the current Ligue 1 champions.