Fulham is delighted to announce the loan signing of centre-back Joachim Andersen from Lyon.
The highly rated Denmark international, 24, will remain at Fulham for the duration of the 2020/21 campaign.
After agreeing his loan move, Andersen said: "I’m really happy to make this move. I’m looking forward to playing in the Premier League and playing for a nice club like Fulham.
"It’s a league I’ve been following since I was a child and it’s a big, big dream to play in the Premier League, so I’m looking forward to it."
Tony Khan also commented: "I’m thrilled to announce the arrival of defender Joachim Andersen to Fulham Football Club on a season-long loan from Olympique Lyonnais.
"Joachim has gained experience and built his reputation throughout top leagues in Europe, playing in Eredivisie, Serie A, and Ligue 1, and this past year at the highest level in Champions League.
"He was a top target for us this summer, we worked hard to bring him here, and it’s so great that he’s joining us and that he wants to help us fight to maintain our status in the Premier League! Come on Fulham!"
An imposing defender who is known for his distribution, Andersen spent time with two of the biggest clubs in his homeland as a youngster – Copenhagen and Midtjylland – but it was in the Netherlands with Twente where he made his senior breakthrough.
He made his Eredivisie debut as an 18-year-old substitute in March 2015, and marked his first start with a goal two weeks later in a 2-2 draw away at Groningen.
Andersen was a regular for the Enschede side over the subsequent two seasons, and had amassed 49 appearances – and four goals – by the time he joined Sampdoria in the summer of 2017.
After helping his new club to a top half Serie A finish in his maiden campaign in Italy, Andersen established himself as one of the best young defenders in the division the following year, playing 32 times as the club finished ninth.
That form prompted Lyon to make him their record signing, agreeing a deal worth up to €30m to bring him to France.
His first season was an eventful one, with Lyon reaching the Semi-Finals of both the Champions League and the French Cup, with Andersen featuring 29 times across all competitions, often in the same backline as Kenny Tete.
Having represented Denmark at every age group, Andersen was handed his senior debut in October 2019.