Chelsea favourite responds to blunt transfer question amid financial crisis

Former Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic has played down reports suggesting that he could be part of a mass player sale in January at cash-strapped Lyon.

The 36-year-old Serbian only joined the French outfit 11 months ago but the seven-time Ligue 1 winners are now facing the threat of relegation and a transfer embargo after accumulating a reported £422m worth of debt.

They are currently fifth in the league standings, but will be sent down without finding £91m of revenue between now and the end of the season. Whilst speaking to reporters on Thursday, it was put to Matic that the entire squad was now up for sale, but he was quick to play down the suggestion.

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As per L'Equipe, he said: "Everyone for sale? We need a team to play. This is the first time I've heard that everyone is for sale. I've never experienced that. I understand the question, but I don't think it's true. We are paid to play, to represent our club."

Matic made 154 appearances for Chelsea over two spells, winning the Premier League twice with the Blues.

When he left Stamford Bridge for a second time in 2017 it was to Manchester United, where he would spend five years at Old Trafford. But since 2022 he has made three moves in a relatively short period - first to AS Roma, then to Rennes, and most recently to Lyon.

Speaking about the French club's current issues, he added: "Yes, we talked a little bit [with the owners], they told us that we had to be focused on our work.

"Football players have to do their job. We are paid to play, to represent our club. I am happy with what they said. I am confident, if there are problems, they will solve them. We do not want to think about anything else but the next step, playing on Saturday."