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Jeff Carlisle
United States goalkeeper Matt Turner is set for a move to Lyon, with the Ligue 1 club agreeing on a $9.1 million fee with Premier League side Nottingham Forest, a source confirmed to ESPN.
Turner, 30, had been in dire need of a move after spending last season on loan with Crystal Palace, and making just four appearances, all in cup competitions. He will join international teammate Tanner Tessmann in Lyon.
It’s unclear how Turner will fit in at Lyon, whose primary keeper in 2024-25 was Brazilian Lucas Perri. Perri made 45 appearances across all competitions for Lyon this season.
The move should please U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino, who three weeks ago said the starting goalkeeping job with the USMNT was “open” due to Turner’s lack of playing time, and that he would be looking at other options.
New York City FC keeper Matt Freese started Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Turkey.
“I think it’s true that [Turner is] not playing and we were talking with him and we translate the idea that for the future, in one year time, I think he needs to find the way to compete every week,” said Pochettino last month.
Turner seemingly came out of nowhere in his rise through the professional ranks, beginning his career with the New England Revolution in 2016 after playing collegiately at Fairfield University. By 2018, he was the starting goalkeeper for the Revs, and he was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2021.
He moved to Arsenal in February of 2022, but a lack of playing time there saw him secure a move to Nottingham Forest the for the 2022-23 season. Turner began the campaign as Forest’s starting keeper, but a series of shaky performances saw him lose his spot in the lineup.
The loan to Palace was secured in August of 2024.
The Park Ridge, New Jersey, native made his international debut in 2021 and has gone on to make 51 appearances with the U.S., including four at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
GiveMeSport was the first to report the news. Turner’s agent, Dan Segal, of Wasserman Media Group, declined to comment.