French league leaders Lyon have signed the 18-year-old want-away striker Maxwel Cornet from Metz, the selling club said on Friday.

The under-19 international had been refusing to extend his contract which had been due to run out in June 2015, and the club had subsequently sidelined him.

Lyon, winners of seven French league titles between 2002-2008, paid a fee of 400,000 euros (465,000 dollars) and also agreed a cut of any sell-on fee would go to Metz, where the player had trained since the age of seven.

Cornet will join France's current striking sensation Alexandre Lacazette at Lyon, the French international who has 19 goals from 20 league games so far.