Lyon signs midfielder Gueida Fofana on 4-year deal

Published Aug. 31, 2011 10:38 p.m. ET

foxsports

Lyon has signed Gueida Fofana from Le Havre on a four-year deal on the last day of the European transfer window.

The French club said on its website Wednesday that it bought the 20-year-old defensive midfielder for ?1.8 million, a fee which could reach ?2.6 million based on incentives.

Fofana captained the France team that won the Under-19 European Championship last year. He also led France to the semifinals of the U20 World Cup this summer.

Lyon is going back to frugal ways after lavishly spending in the past years to acquire such players as Lisandro Lopez, Yoann Gourcuff, Michel Bastos and Aly Cissokho.

On Tuesday, Lyon signed fullback Mouhamadou Dabo from Spanish club Sevilla on a four-year deal for ?1 million.

Lyon also cut its payroll by selling Bosnia playmaker Miralem Pjanic to Roma for ?11 million on Wednesday and France international Jeremy Toulalan to Spanish club Malaga for ?10 million in June.