Nabil Fekir is swapping the comforts of France's culinary capital for the sun of southern Spain.
Real Betis announced the signing of Fekir from Lyon on Monday, with the 26-year-old inking a contract until 2023 with the Andalusian outfit. The Ligue 1 side confirmed that Betis will pay an initial €19.75 million for the versatile Frenchman. The deal includes €10 million in potential add-ons, with Lyon also retaining a 20 percent sell-on fee.
Fekir's younger brother, Yassin, is also moving to the Estadio Benito Villamarin. Lyon will pocket 50 percent of any transfer fee should Betis sell the 22-year-old forward in the future.
The elder Fekir's move from Champions League-bound Lyon to the mid-table La Liga side marks an intriguing change from the Frenchman's links with Liverpool last summer. Negotiations between Les Gones and the Reds for a reported €60-million transfer broke down last June when issues stemming from his medical exams emerged.
A member of France's World Cup-winning squad, Fekir progressed through Lyon's famed youth setup to make his first-team debut in August 2013. In six seasons with the club, Fekir made 144 Ligue 1 appearances, scoring 54 goals. He served as Les Gones' captain for the past two seasons.
Fekir's exit marks the third significant departure from Lyon this summer following Tanguy Ndombele's €60-million signing with Spurs and Ferland Mendy's €50-million Real Madrid relocation.
His arrival in Seville could signal a sale for prized Argentine midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, who's been linked with a €58-million move to Tottenham. Betis made Lo Celso's one-year loan switch from Paris Saint-Germain permanent in April for a reported €25-million fee.