Lyon confirm deal in principle to sign former Arsenal prospect Reine-Adelaide
Lyon have confirmed the signing of former Arsenal starlet Jeff Reine-Adelaide from Angers, subject to a medical and a ‘match-up’ clause.
Reine-Adelaide made eight appearances for Arsenal but left for Angers last summer after spending the 2017/18 season on loan at the French club.
Reine-Adelaide’s Arsenal career: Five key things to know…
- Reine-Adelaide joined Arsenal from Lens in the summer 2015.
- He had to wait until January 2016 to make his debut against Sunderland in the FA Cup.
- Eight appearances in all competitions later, Reine-Adelaide joined Angers on loan in January 2018.
- The midfielder spent the following few months on loan at Angers before signing permanently last summer.
- Reine-Adelaide now looks almost certain to join Lyon after making 40 appearances for Angers.
The 21-year-old scored three goals in 29 Ligue 1 matches last season and found the net in Angers’ opening day victory over Bordeaux at the weekend.
Lyon are reportedly set to pay £23m for the midfielder, who will become the club’s eighth summer signing.
However, in a statement, Lyon confirmed Arsenal do have the chance to match their bid for Reine-Adelaide, due to a clause in the Frenchman’s contract placed upon his move to Angers.
“OL states that the finalisation of this transfer remains conditional on the result of a medical and the Arsenal agreement which has a ‘match-up’ preference clause on the player,” the statement reads.
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Lyon have already spent big on the likes Thiago Mendes from Lille and Joachim Andersen from Sampdoria in the current transfer window.
The club has money to spend after selling Tanguy Ndombele to Tottenham for a fee that reportedly could rise above £60m.
Reine-Adelaide could make his Lyon debut against his former club Angers on Friday if Arsenal pass up the chance to resign the midfielder and the transfer is finalised in time.
