European champions Olympique Lyon are the undisputed dominant force on the old continent but are not content with winning the last four Champions Leagues in a row and have entered negotiations to buy out NWSL side Reign FC, opening up the possibility of USA national team star Megan Rapinoe making a return to Ligue 1.

Rapinoe, who scooped the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the World Cup in France and was named the FIFA Best Player of the Year as a result, spent the 2013-14 season at Lyon before moving to Reign and has intimated she may be interested in a return to Europe with both Barcelona and Real Madrid possible destinations for arguably the biggest star in the women’s game.

Negotiations over the merger-cum-takeover are underway and both clubs hope to have reached an agreement before 31 January, 2020.

Lyon and Reign partnership 

“Our ambition has always been to create the best women’s football club in the world,” said Reign FC majority shareholder Bill Predmore. “This is an idea that Lyon have been looking at for some time, which makes them the perfect organization to help our club to achieve our long-term objectives.”

Since its inception in 2012, Reign FC have enjoyed considerable success, winning the NWSL Shield in 2014 and 2015 and finishing runners-up in the NWSL Championship in the same years. Over the past two seasons, Reign have made the playoffs twice and recently broke the NWSL attendance record in a game against Chicago Red Stars.