18-year-old USWNT star Lily Yohannes signs for OL Lyonnes from Ajax

U.S. women's national team phenom Lily Yohannes finalized a transfer to French powerhouse OL Lyonnes from Ajax on Monday.

Yohannes, 18, signed a three-year contract with the club, with her deal running through 2028 in France.

The teenage midfielder reportedly garnered a fee of $530,000 (€450,000), with Ajax also receiving a sell-on percentage fee for a future transfer. Her previous contract in the Netherlands with the Dutch club ran through June 2026.

Reigning champions of England, Chelsea, were also reportedly in the running for Yohannes' services.

Yohannes has 10 caps for the USWNT, and in June 2024, she scored 10 minutes into her international debut in a friendly against South Korea.

In November, she declared her international allegiance to the USA after previously mulling the options of playing for the Netherlands. She was born in Virginia but moved to the Netherlands with her family when she was 10. At age 15, she signed a professional contract with Ajax.

"She's got unbelievable maturity and coachability, and someone who I know is going to become an important part of our program," USWNT head coach Emma Hayes said in May. "But I'm invested in that development, and we have to be patient with that considering her tender age and her lack of international and high-level experience."

At Lyonnes, she will play with fellow U.S. international Korbin Albert and team captain Lindsey Heaps.

In 2023, Yohannes became the youngest player to ever start a UEFA Women's Champions League game at 16 when she was named to the starting XI for Ajax in a 2-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain.

Lyonnes' 2025/26 campaign begins this fall, and she will report for preseason action in the coming weeks.