Soccer fans, get ready to hear about a cool new move involving Matt Turner, one of the top American goalkeepers! On Friday, Matt Turner officially signed a contract with Lyon, a famous soccer team from France. But here’s a twist: right after signing, Lyon decided to loan him to another team called the New England Revolution, which plays in the Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States.
Let’s break this down step-by-step so it’s easy to understand and super interesting!
Who Is Matt Turner?
Matt Turner is a goalkeeper from the United States. A goalkeeper is the player who guards the goal and tries to stop the other team from scoring goals. It’s a very important job! Turner is 31 years old and has played a lot for the U.S. national team—he has 52 “caps.” A “cap” means he has appeared in 52 official games for his country. That shows he’s a really experienced and trusted player.
Before signing with Lyon, Turner played for Nottingham Forest, a soccer club in England. Lyon paid eight million euros (which is about 8.7 million U.S. dollars) to get him from Nottingham Forest. That’s a big amount of money because good goalkeepers are very valuable to teams.
What’s This About a Loan?
After Lyon signed Turner, they immediately loaned him to the New England Revolution. A “loan” in soccer means that one team lets a player temporarily play for another team. The player still belongs to the first team but plays for the other team for a certain time.
In Turner’s case, the loan to New England comes with a “purchase option” worth three million euros. This means New England can decide later if they want to buy Turner permanently from Lyon for three million euros. It’s like trying out the player first before making a full commitment.
A Little History on Matt Turner
Turner’s soccer career has been quite interesting. Before joining Nottingham Forest, he played for Arsenal, one of the biggest clubs in England. He moved from Arsenal to Nottingham Forest in August 2023 and played 21 games in all competitions for Forest.
Then, during the 2024/25 season, Turner went on loan to Crystal Palace, another English club. This loan was for one year. While at Crystal Palace, Turner helped the team win an important trophy called the FA Cup. The FA Cup is a very famous tournament in England, and winning it is a big deal! Crystal Palace beat Manchester City 1-0 in the final held at Wembley Stadium in London, which is one of the most iconic soccer stadiums in the world.
What Does This Move Mean for Matt Turner?
Moving to Lyon shows that Turner is ready for new challenges. Lyon is one of the biggest clubs in France and has a rich history. The French league, called Ligue 1, is known for being very competitive and has produced many world-class players.
However, since Turner is immediately loaned to the New England Revolution, it means Lyon wants him to get plenty of playing time and keep growing as a player. The MLS, where New England plays, is the top professional soccer league in the U.S. and Canada and has been getting better and more popular over the years.
What About the Other Player, Duje Caleta-Car?
At the same time, Lyon announced another loan deal involving Croatian defender Duje Caleta-Car. A defender’s job is to stop the opposing team from scoring, so they work closely with goalkeepers like Turner.
Caleta-Car is 28 years old and has 33 caps for Croatia, meaning he’s also very experienced internationally. He joined Lyon from Southampton (another English club) in 2023. Now, Lyon loaned him to Real Sociedad, a Spanish club, for one year. This loan comes with a four-million-euro purchase option, so Real Sociedad can decide to buy him later if they want.
Soccer Facts You Should Know
What’s a Cap? In soccer, a “cap” is an appearance in an international game for a player’s national team. For example, Matt Turner has 52 caps for the U.S., meaning he has played in 52 official matches for his country.
What’s a Loan? A loan means a player temporarily plays for another team while still being under contract with their original club. Loans can help players get experience or help teams with short-term needs.
What’s the FA Cup? The FA Cup is the oldest national soccer competition in the world. It started in 1871 in England and is famous for “giant-killing” moments, where smaller teams sometimes beat much bigger clubs. Winning the FA Cup is a huge achievement for any English club.
What Is a Purchase Option? Sometimes when a player is loaned, the team borrowing the player can decide to buy the player permanently for a set price. This is called a purchase option.
Who Are Lyon and New England Revolution? Lyon is a French club known officially as Olympique Lyonnais. They have won many French league titles and developed many top players. New England Revolution is an American soccer club based in Massachusetts and competes in MLS. They have been one of the competitive teams in MLS over the past decade.
Why Are These Moves Important?
These moves show how global soccer is. Players can move between countries and leagues easily. A U.S. player like Turner can play in England, then sign for a French team, and then play in the U.S. again.
It also shows how clubs try to manage their squads carefully. Lyon bought Turner because they believe in his skills, but they loan him to New England so he can play regularly and develop more. At the same time, they loan Caleta-Car to a Spanish club so he can get game time in a different competitive league.
What’s Next for Matt Turner?
Fans will be watching closely to see how Matt Turner performs with New England Revolution. He will be expected to bring his experience, especially from playing internationally and in England, to help the team win games.
If New England likes how he plays, they might decide to buy him from Lyon, making Turner’s move permanent. For Turner, playing well in MLS could also open more doors, maybe another chance in Europe or continuing to shine as one of the best American goalkeepers.
Fun Fact: U.S. Goalkeepers Making a Mark
Matt Turner is part of a growing trend of U.S. goalkeepers becoming famous internationally. Players like Tim Howard and Brad Friedel paved the way by playing in big European leagues for many years. Turner is now following that path and making a name for himself both in the U.S. and Europe.
So, to wrap it all up: Matt Turner signed with Lyon for a big transfer fee but will play this season for New England Revolution on loan, giving him a chance to keep playing in front of U.S. fans. Meanwhile, Lyon loaned Croatian defender Duje Caleta-Car to a Spanish club. Both moves show how teams work behind the scenes to build strong squads while helping players grow.
Soccer is truly a global game, and players like Turner show how talent from the U.S. can shine on the world stage!