USMNT star Tanner Tessmann compared to Premier League great

Tanner Tessmann is quickly winning fans in Lyon after completing a summer move from Venezia, with head coach Pierre Sage offering a flattering comparison to one of the great Premier League midfielders of recent years.

Lyon picked up the 23-year-old Tessman for €6 million and signed him to a five-year contract as a show of faith in his abilities.

The former FC Dallas star, though, has had limited chances to shine for the Rhone giants.

He did, however, start during Thursday’s 1-0 Conference League loss against Besiktas, yet despite the outcome of the game, his contribution was praised, with Sage explaining why he has not been given more chances.

“Tanner had to get used to his new setting,” he told the media on Friday. “He came from another country and from Serie B, a league lower than ours.

“We supported him so that he could assimilate and we helped him find his bearings and his cruising speed.”

Matic comparisons

Sage explained that he believes that Tassman will be able to offer excellent backup to former Chelsea and Manchester United star Nemanja Matic, who is a two-time Premier League winner with the Blues.

“He brings stability to the midfield in a fashion similar to what Nemanja Matic can bring us. He offers a long passing game that allows us to switch the momentum of the play around, he has depth and a good shot on goal, as you saw last night, which can allow us to solve certain situations,” Sage added on the four-time capped USMNT star.

“I am very happy with his performance last night. If he continues like this, he will gain playing time.”

Former Arsenal star Ainsley Maitland-Niles also sang Tessman’s praises.

“He is a very dynamic midfielder who brings something new to the team. He put in a very good performance last night. He brings a lot of depth to the team and needs more minutes of play to show his qualities. He will make the coach’s choices even more difficult,” the Englishman said.