French champions Lyon are refusing to offer Patrick Muller a new contract until the defender recovers from his long-term knee injury.

The 31-year-old Switzerland international has not played a single game for Les Gones this season because of the knee problem he suffered last summer.

The injury is threatening to rule him out of this summer's European Championships, which is being held in Austria and Switzerland.

And Lyon will not to prolong his contract, which runs out in June, while doubts still remain over the extent of his injury.

A Lyon statement read: "Bernard Lacombe (an advisor to Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas) met Patrick Muller last week to tell him that in the current context, with the arrival of Jean-Alain Boumsong and the recovery of Cleber Anderson, the club had taken the decision not to offer him an extension to his contract which comes to an end on June 30, while he can't assure us of a perfect return to fitness.

"A definitive decision will nevertheless be taken at the end of the season regarding the evolution of his recovery and his eventual participation at the Euros."

Muller joined Lyon for the first time in July 2000 and won three French titles before moving to Mallorca, then Basel.

He then returned to the Stade Gerland for a second stint with Lyon and won a further two Ligue 1 titles in 2006 and 2007.