Lyon terminate veteran Matic's contract a year early

Former Serbian international Nemanja Matic has reached an "amicable" agreement for the early termination of his contract with Lyon, the Ligue 1 club said on Thursday.

The 37-year-old former Manchester United, Chelsea and Benfica midfielder's contract had been due to run until 30 June, 2026.

However, the club has opted to shed one of its highest paid players as part of its effort to significantly reduce its payroll.

Matic arrived in January 2024 from league rivals Rennes and played a key role in helping Lyon move from last at the 2023-2024 winter break to finish sixth, qualifying for the Europa League, and playing in the French Cup final, losing 2-1 to Paris Saint-Germain.

He has made a total of 58 appearances for Lyon who open their campaign at Lens on Saturday.

Matic earned 48 caps for Serbia between 2008 and 2020.