Brazilian striker Giovane Elber joined French champions Olympique Lyon from German club Bayern Munich on Wednesday for 4.2 million euros ($4.58 million).

Elber, who has signed a two-year deal, passed a medical at Lyon on Wednesday and was then officially presented to the media after the two clubs had earlier agreed the move.

Lyon coach Paul Le Guen said he would probably field the Brazilian as early as Saturday in the Ligue 1 game against En Avant Guingamp.

"Elber has been our main objective for weeks. We really wanted to offer our crowd a player of that dimension," said Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas.

Elber will take the Lyon number nine shirt worn in previous seasons by his compatriot Sonny Anderson, who joined Spain's Villarreal in July.

"I know that Lyon were twice French champions but I'm here to help them go one step further in the Champions League," the Brazilian said.

The 31-year-old, who was also sought by Monaco, said he had been partly persuaded to join Lyon by the club's other Brazilians, defenders Edmilson and Claudio Cacapa.

Elber was last season's joint top scorer in the Bundesliga with 21 goals but Bayern have let him go after buying Dutch striker Roy Makaay from Deportivo Coruna.

Elber had been at Bayern for six years and coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said he was sad to see the striker go.

"Of course I'm torn up inside," Hitzfeld said. "I have really grown attached to Giovane and that's not an easy matter. I am the biggest Elber fan, but because I am the biggest Bayern fan, I have to do what's best for the club."

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