Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion Iosefo Masi is reportedly in negotiations with French Top 14 club Lyon. French media indicates that Lyon is interested in signing Masi as a potential replacement for Semi Radradra.
Management at Lyon views Masi as a strong candidate to enhance their center pairing, citing his impressive handling skills and physical play as critical assets for the team, which faced a challenging fight against relegation during the 2023/2024 season.
It is still uncertain whether Masi’s potential move to Lyon is contingent on Radradra’s status with the team. Radradra joined Lyon in the summer of 2023, making his debut after the World Cup and participating in 10 matches in his first year. If he doesn’t 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 clinched gold at the 2021 Olympics under Coach Gareth Baber. He also secured the Melrose Cup with the Fiji 7s before transitioning to 15s rugby, signing with the Fijian Drua.
The Taveuni native enjoyed a successful tenure with the Drua, scoring 16 tries and starting 29 matches, which eventually led to his selection for the Flying Fijians. Most recently, he earned a silver medal as part of the Fiji 7s team at the Paris Olympics.