Nemanja Matic leaves Lyon after contract termination

Former Serbian international Nemanja Matic has left Lyon after reaching an “amicable” agreement with the Ligue 1 club to terminate his contract two years early, the club announced on Thursday.

The 37-year-old former Manchester United, Chelsea and Benfica midfielder’s deal had been due to run until June 30, 2026, but Lyon opted to part ways as part of efforts to cut their wage bill.

Nemanja Matic joined from Rennes in January 2024 and played a pivotal role in lifting the team from bottom of the table at the winter break to a sixth-place finish, earning Europa League qualification and reaching the French Cup final, where they lost 2-1 to Paris Saint-Germain.

He made 58 appearances for Lyon, who open their new campaign away to Lens on Saturday. Matic earned 48 caps for Serbia between 2008 and 2020.

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Meanwhile, in England, Brentford forward Yoane Wissa will miss Sunday’s Premier League opener at Nottingham Forest due to uncertainty over his future, manager Keith Andrews said.

The 28-year-old DR Congo international has been linked with moves to Forest and Newcastle United. Andrews takes charge of his first league match following a turbulent summer in which long-serving manager Thomas Frank joined Tottenham Hotspur and several key players departed.