Monaco (AFP) – Monaco signed Algerian attacking midfielder Rachid Ghezzal on a free transfer Monday, as coach Leonardo Jardim looks to rebuild after losing several of last season’s title-winners in the close season.
The 25-year-old, who has played 11 internationals, signed a four-year deal with the principality club after being released by Lyon at the end of last season.
His arrival bolsters Jardim’s squad as Monaco bid to retain their Ligue 1 title and replicate last term’s run to the Champions League semi-finals.
“After several seasons at Lyon, I needed a new challenge,” Ghezzal said in a statement on the Monaco website.
Ghezzal struggled slightly last season, scoring only twice in 26 league appearances, after finding the net eight times from just 16 starts the campaign before.
Monaco have lost four key players since winning the French title for the first time since 1999/2000 in May, with midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko leaving for Chelsea, full-back Benjamin Mendy and attacking midfielder Bernardo Silva joining Manchester City, and forward Valere Germain moving to Marseille.
Jardim has stuck with the tried and tested policy of signing promising youngsters, and Ghezzal is the Portuguese’s eighth close-season signing, among the likes of Swiss goalkeeper Diego Benaglio and Belgium international Youri Tielemans.
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