Tessmann joins Lyon from Venezia to become French team's first American player
Guinea's Amadou Diallo, right, and United States' Tanner Tessmann, center, compete for the ball during the men's Group A soccer match between the United States and Guinea, at Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Saint-Etienne, France. Credit: AP/Silvia Izquierdo
LYON, France — 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.
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