Lyon’s director of football Juninho has admitted the French club could be forced to sell some stars after missing out on next season’s Champions League, according to the Daily Record.

Juninho, who once played for the French Ligue 1 side, has admitted that his club may need to sell former Celtic star and the brace-scoring hero from Lyon’s Champions League quarter-final success over Man City, Moussa Dembele, in the coming months.

Lyon were eliminated by Bayern Munich in the semi-finals and only finished seventh in the French top-flight last season, therefore they will be without European football next term, thus meaning they’ll suffer financial losses.

When Dembele left The Hoops in 2018, the Scottish champions negotiated a 10 per cent sell-on clause as part of the £20m deal to allow him to depart.

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With a rumoured transfer market value of over £60m for the striker, the Bhoys would be in line for a sizeable windfall should the Frenchman move on, as is expected.

Still just 24, Dembele has scored goals wherever he has been, including 31 in his 60 appearances since arriving in Lyon.

Despite not representing his nation’s senior side the powerful striker has a remarkable Under-21 record of 56 goals in 90 caps.

Should Celtic be in receipt of upwards of £6 million, it would act as a major boost to the transfer fund as Neil Lennon looks to build his squad in preparation for a tilt at the unprecedented 10 in a row.