American midfielder Tessmann joins Ligue 1's Olympique Lyon
Tanner Tessmann, the Birmingham, AL, native who recently helped Venezia secure Serie A promotion, is on his way to Olympique Lyon. The midfielder has joined the Ligue 1 outfit on a permanent deal with the French campaign already underway. There is no indication as to how much Lyon paid to acquire Tessmann. However, the move takes Tessmann from a relegation candidate in Serie A to a Champions League contender in Ligue 1.
Tessmann has been a regular name on the transfer rumor mill. Several Serie A teams have been monitoring the American as Venezia rises from Serie B. That included clubs like Fiorentina, Parma and even reigning Scudetto winner Inter Milan. Tessmann proved valuable for Venezia in Serie B. Despite playing from a deeper role in the midfield, the American scored six goals in 37 league appearances last season. He also scored against Palermo in the promotion playoffs semifinal to ensure Venezia moved on to the final stage.
He may not have the same guarantees of playing time at Lyon. Currently, Pierre Sage is working to figure out what combination of midfielders works best. That includes players like Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Orel Mangala and 36-year-old Nemanja Matic. The only consistent through two games so far has been Maxence Caqueret. The 24-year-old Frenchman has started both games, but that has not yielded success for Lyon.
After two games, Lyon is on zero points and zero goals scored. Back-to-back losses, each by multiple goals, have put early pressure on Sage and Lyon this season. Tessmann may be a purchase to shore up the defensive inefficacies that have shown early on in this campaign.
Tessmann must be in USMNT conversation with Lyon move
Individually, Tessmann can use this move to Ligue 1 as a springboard for his USMNT career. Tessmann has taken a back seat to players like Tyler Adams, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Luca de la Torre and Johnny Cardoso. Each of those players represents a club in a top European league. Now, Tessmann falls in that category too.
It has not been an issue of form when representing the United States, either. With the senior side, Tessmann has made just two appearances, both of which came in friendlies against lackluster opposition. Yet, he captained the United States in the Olympics this past summer in Paris. A consistent force in the midfield, Tessmann was essential to the USMNT reaching the quarterfinals of the tournament, where it eventually lost to Morocco convincingly. Tessmann started and played the full 90 minutes in each of the USA’s four games in Paris. He failed to grab a goal or assist, but he was assigned as a defensive midfielder in each of those games.
At the age of 22, Tessmann still has ample potential. Lyon will test his ability and mental fortitude as minutes may not be as regular. However, it is a step in the right direction for another promising career for an American soccer player in Europe. With more friendlies on the horizon for the United States in the buildup to the World Cup in 2026, Tessmann should be one to consider for Mauricio Pochettino.
PHOTOS: IMAGO.