LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne has publicly addressed the financial situation that led to the departure of star guard Sylvain Francisco, confirming that a revised budget for the 2026-27 season forced the club to adjust its plans despite its long-term ambitions.
The French club released a statement on Thursday explaining that its shareholders had finalized a new budget approved by France’s financial watchdog, the DNCCG, on July 29. While the budget keeps the club on stable footing, ASVEL acknowledged it falls short of its original expectations and has an immediate impact on the team’s payroll.
Club president and new head coach Tony Parker said the organization had spent months working on an ambitious project and had held advanced discussions that gave it confidence it could build a larger budget for the upcoming season. However, Parker explained that negotiations with prospective partners and investors have taken longer than anticipated, forcing the club to reduce salary commitments at the start of the season.
“These delays do not call our project into question,” Parker said in the club’s statement. “It is another step in its development.” He added that investors who had already committed to joining the project have reaffirmed their confidence, while the club continues working to finalize their involvement and maintain its long-term domestic and EuroLeague objectives.
The announcement came shortly after Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens confirmed the signing of Francisco to a three-year contract. Francisco had only agreed to join ASVEL in late June in what was presented as one of the club’s most significant acquisitions in recent years. Instead, financial constraints led ASVEL to accept a buyout, allowing the French international to move to the Greek powerhouse.
Francisco arrives in Athens after one of the best individual seasons in EuroLeague. Playing for Zalgiris Kaunas in 2025-26, the 28-year-old averaged 16.7 points, 6.4 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.0 steal in 38 EuroLeague games while shooting 45.2% from the field, 39.9% from three-point range and 80.0% at the free-throw line.
His production earned him EuroLeague MVP of the Month honors for October, MVP awards for Rounds 7 and 29, and a place on the All-EuroLeague First Team. Francisco finished second in the league’s MVP voting behind Olympiacos forward Sasha Vezenkov after ranking second in assists, seventh in scoring and fourth in Performance Index Rating at 19.2.
Francisco also helped Zalgiris finish fifth in the regular-season standings with a 23-15 record, securing the Lithuanian club’s first EuroLeague playoff appearance in three years. Domestically, he guided Zalgiris to both the Lithuanian League and Lithuanian Cup titles for the second consecutive season.
His arrival significantly strengthens a Panathinaikos squad entering a new era under head coach Zeljko Obradovic following the departure of Ergin Ataman. The seven-time European champions finished seventh in last season’s regular season with a 22-16 record before losing a five-game playoff series to Valencia.
Meanwhile, ASVEL enters the new campaign facing a different challenge. After finishing last in the 2025-26 EuroLeague standings at 8-30, the French club has already reshaped its roster with additions including Nick Weiler-Babb, Armoni Brooks, Both Gach and Yves Pons.
