Villa sign forward Traore from Lyon for 18 million euros
Traore #Traore
(Reuters) – Aston Villa have signed Burkina Faso international Bertrand Traore from Olympique Lyonnais for 18.4 million euros (16.88 million pounds) plus up to 2.2 million euros in incentives, the Ligue 1 club announced on Monday.
Traore, 25, made 126 appearances for Lyon and scored 33 goals after his arrival from Chelsea in 2017.
Lyon confirmed they would receive 15% of the funds generated from any future transfer.
“Olympique Lyonnais wishes Bertrand the best of luck in the top flight of English football four years after his initial experience with a Premier League club,” Lyon said in a statement.
Traore began his professional career at Chelsea in 2014 but failed to cement a spot in the first team and was loaned out to Vitesse Arnhem and Ajax Amsterdam before joining Lyon in 2017.
Capped 54 times by Burkina Faso, Traore was part of the side that won the bronze medal in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
He will add attacking firepower to an Aston Villa squad that finished 17th last season, narrowly avoiding relegation.
Lyon also confirmed the departure of Romanian goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu to AC Milan for 0.5 million euros, while German goalkeeper Julian Pollersbeck arrives from Hamburg SV on a four-year deal for 0.25 million euros plus incentives.
(Reporting by Arvind Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)