Lyon has launched a bid to sign Canadian center-back Moise Bombito from the Colorado Rapids, sources briefed on the talks tell The Athletic.
On Tuesday, The Athletic reported that Lyon’s initial $4million bid for Bombito, 24, was rejected by the Rapids.
Lyon is one of several teams interested in Bombito and talks between the French side and the Rapids are ongoing. Clubs have come to watch him in person with the Rapids before he went to the Copa America with Canada. Fabrizio Romano first reported the bid.
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Bombito has had a meteoric rise in the last few years. He was selected by the Colorado Rapids in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft and slowly began to win regular minutes for the club last year. He has been one of the best defenders in MLS in 2024 and broke into the Canadian national team as a first-choice starter.
Any deal for Bombito would surely surpass the Rapids’ club-record outbound sale, which currently stands as Sam Vines’ 2021 transfer to Royal Antwerp for around $2 million.
Lyon finished sixth in Ligue 1 last season and is ultimately controlled by Eagle Football, which also has shares in Premier League side Crystal Palace, Brazilian side Botafogo and RWD Molenbeek of Belgium.
Bombito started Canada’s opening game of the Copa America as they lost 2-0 to Argentina. The defender was subject to racial abuse on Instagram during the game after a heavy tackle on Argentina captain Lionel Messi, with Meta taking action to remove the comments. Canada captain Alphonso Davies and head coach Jesse March later condemned the abuse.
‘Remarkable pace and quality on the ball’
Analysis from Joshua Kloke
Bombito has quickly become a vital player for Canada and the Colorado Rapids in MLS. His remarkable pace, quality on the ball and ability to win challenges with his increasing soccer IQ and size has made him a starter in all three of Canada’s most recent games since Marsch took over.
Against Argentina, Bombito finished first among all players with nine recoveries and three interceptions while also winning all three of his tackles. Bombito has formed a centre-back duo with Derek Cornelius that could end up sticking into the 2026 World Cup in Canada.
“I love Moise,” Cornelius said with a smile on Saturday. “It’s recent that we got to know each other and play together. But he definitely has the qualities to play at a very high level. Off the pitch, he’s very down to earth, very humble, a lot of jokes. So I really like him both as a player and as a person.”
(Omar Vega/Getty Images)