Canadian international defender Vanessa Gilles will line up for French powerhouse Lyon on loan from NWSL’s Angel City FC.
The loan comes with an option from Lyon to buy out the 26-year-old Ottawan’s contract.
In Lyon, Gilles joins the club for which Kadeisha Buchanan, his partner in central defense with the Canadian team, played. Buchanan moved to Chelsea in England in July after five and a half years at Lyon.
Gilles is filling a void at Lyon as French international defender Griedge Mbock suffered a knee injury earlier this month in a game against Greece.
“Unfortunately, I won’t be able to finish the season with the girls at Angel City FC and help down the stretch towards the playoffs,” Gilles said in a social media post.
“It was not an easy decision to leave mid-season, especially not being able to thank you for helping us feel at home in Los Angeles and making every home game so special. However, signing for Lyon and living the dream of playing in the Champions League and competing for trophies is something I couldn’t pass up. »
Gilles has 22 caps with Canada, including 19 as a starter, and helped lead the team to gold in Tokyo.
This is a return to France for Gilles, who ended up with Angel City last December following a move from Girondins de Bordeaux, where she had been playing since July 2018.
Gilles played in the college ranks with the University of Cincinnati, where she started every game for the Bearcats during her four-year stint.
She moved through the professional ranks in early 2018 with Cyprus First Division side Apollon FC.
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