Nicolas Nkoulou hopes to 'achieve great things' at Lyon

With reports linking OL's France defender Samuel Umtiti with a move to Barcelona after the European Championship, Les Gones have moved to strengthen their back line with the capture of the Cameroon international.

And at an introductory press conference on Wednesday reported on OL's website and Twitter feed, he said: "I am here because OL is a club which can help me continue to grow. It's a real pleasure to be here.

"I will wear this shirt with a lot of desire and I will work to achieve great things.

"I spent five good years at OM, I was out of contract and it was time to turn the page."

Nkoulou, 26, began his career at Monaco in 2008 before joining Marseille in 2011 and winning the 2012 Coupe de la Ligue.

He will provide necessary reinforcements for Lyon's defence, with Bakary Kone having left for Malaga and Lindsay Rose linked with Lorient in addition to Umtiti - coach Bruno Genesio has admitted it is "difficult to resist" if the latter wishes to move to Barca.

Club president Jean-Michel Aulas said: "Nicolas Nkoulou was a priority of the coach and has signed for four years. We are very happy."

Aulas' advisor Bernard Lacombe added: "Nicolas is a player of great quality. We have wanted him since he was at Monaco."

OL have also been linked with River Plate's 20-year-old defender Emanuel Mammana.

Nkoulou will take his favoured number three shirt, vacated by Henri Bedimo's move in the other direction to Marseille last week.

"The number three? It is a wink to those close to me, because I am the youngest of three children," he said of his attachment to the number he also regularly wears at international level.

Marseille struggled to 13th place in Ligue 1 last season following an exodus of first-team players in the summer.

Nkoulou joins Lucas Ocampos - loaned to Genoa with an option for a permanent transfer - in departing the Stade Velodrome this week. Striker Michy Batshuayi is also being linked with Premier League clubs Crystal Palace and Chelsea.