Ime Okon: Lyon linked with move for Hannover 96s South Africa-Nigeria defender

South Africa-Nigeria centre-back Ime Okon of Hannover 96 has been linked with a move to Ligue 1 side Lyon, according to transfer information dated 6 July 2026. The 22-year-old defender, currently valued at 2m, is rumoured to be attracting interest from the French club as they assess options at the back.

Okon, who wears the number 20 shirt for Hannover and plays primarily as a right-footed centre-back, has been competing in Germanys 2. Bundesliga. A move to Lyon would see him switch to Frances top tier, with the reported interest emerging from data sourced from Transfermarkt and logged on the same date.

Born in Johannesburg on 20 February 2004 and standing at 1.87m, Okon holds South African and Nigerian nationality. His listed national team is Hannover 96, and there is no information in the data about senior international appearances, leaving his international future open.

The defenders market value has risen sharply in recent seasons. While at South African club SuperSport United, his valuation climbed from 350,000 at age 19 in January 2024 to 850,000 by May 2025. Following his move to Hannover 96, his value increased to 1.5m by October 2025 and reached 2m in December 2025, a figure that was maintained in the latest assessment on 1 June 2026.

Okons contract start date and expiry at Hannover 96 are not specified in the available data, so it is unclear whether any move to Lyon would involve a transfer fee or the possibility of a free transfer. The probability of the move is listed as ?, underlining that this remains a rumour rather than an advanced negotiation.

For now, Okon remains a Hannover 96 player in the 2. Bundesliga, with Lyon named as a potential destination and no confirmed agreement or timeline indicated.