USMNT

USMNT's Tanner Tessman becomes Lyon's first American player after transfer

Tessmann had joined Italy's Venezia from FC Dallas before the 2021-22 season

Share
NBC Universal, Inc.

United States midfielder Tanner Tessmann completed his transfer to Lyon from Venezia on Tuesday and signed a five-year contract, becoming the French team's first American player.

Lyon said it paid the Italian club a base fee of $6 million euros ($6.7 million) for the 22-year-old Tessmann, who was captain of the U.S. Olympic team at the Paris Games.

Tessmann had joined Venezia from FC Dallas before the 2021-22 season. Along with U.S. teammate Gianluca Busio, the Alabama native helped Venezia win promotion back to Serie A.

Tessmann’s godfather is Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney, who offered Tessmann a scholarship after watching him kick a 64-yard field goal at a Clemson summer camp in 2019. Tessmann stuck with soccer, though.

Lyon has lost its first two games of the season in the French league and hosts Strasbourg on Friday night.

With the Premier League season kicking off, here are five things to know about one of the world’s most exciting soccer leagues.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us