Mathys De Carvalho is expected to leave Olympique Lyon and join Saudi Arabian club Al-Diriyah, in a move that would see the 21-year-old midfielder become the latest player to depart the French side during the summer.
De Carvalho has attracted interest from a number of clubs in Saudi Arabia and Portugal, but reports say he has been persuaded by the project and ambitions outlined by Al-Diriyah coach Bruno Lage.
According to L’Equipe, De Carvalho will join a squad that already includes former Ligue 1 players Chancel Mbemba, Idrissa Gueye and Enzo Millot. Al-Diriyah have recently won promotion and are preparing for life at their new level of competition.
Lyon are expected to receive about €1m for De Carvalho, with the deal also including bonuses. The player is due to sign a contract running until 2029 once he arrives in Saudi Arabia.
The proposed transfer brings an end to De Carvalho’s time with Lyon after a brief senior career at the club. He was promoted to the professional squad by Paulo Fonseca and has made 22 appearances for the first team.
The Portugal Under-20 international has registered one assist during those outings. His move to Al-Diriyah would give him the opportunity to continue his development in Saudi Arabia, while providing Lyon with another departure as they work to reshape their squad.
De Carvalho’s exit would be Lyon’s 12th departure of the summer. The club are continuing to reduce the size of their squad and lower their wage bill, with the midfielder’s transfer contributing to those efforts.
Although several Saudi Arabian and Portuguese clubs had shown an interest in the player, the reported influence of Lage and the vision for Al-Diriyah’s project appear to have played a decisive role in his choice.
The move remains subject to De Carvalho completing his arrival in Saudi Arabia and finalising the contract expected to keep him at Al-Diriyah until 2029. If completed, he will join Mbemba, Gueye and Millot as part of the newly promoted club’s group of players with experience of Ligue 1.
For Lyon, the transfer represents the latest step in a summer of significant squad reduction. For Al-Diriyah, it would add a young Portugal international who has already gained first-team experience at one of France’s established clubs.