Iosefo Masi, an Olympic gold medalist and winner of the 7s World Cup, is reportedly in negotiations with the French Top 14 club Lyon. French media suggests that Lyon is looking to acquire Masi as a replacement for Semi Radradra.
The management at Lyon views Masi as the perfect candidate to anchor the center pairing, believing that his remarkable handling skills and physical play can provide a significant advantage to a team that faced a challenging relegation battle in the 2023/2024 season.
It remains uncertain whether Masi’s potential signing is contingent upon Radradra’s status at the club. Radradra joined Lyon in the summer of 2023 and made his debut following the World Cup, featuring in ten matches during his inaugural season. If he does not secure a contract extension, he will become a free agent in July 2025.
Masi, 26, began his career with the Fiji 7s team and was part of the squad that secured gold at the 2021 Olympics under Coach Gareth Baber. He also claimed the Melrose Cup with the Fiji 7s before transitioning to 15s rugby with the Fijian Drua. During his two successful seasons with the Drua, he scored 16 tries and started 29 matches, earning a call-up to the Flying Fijians. Most recently, Masi achieved a silver medal with the Fiji 7s team at the Paris Olympics.