Sabaly: Real Betis sign full-back from Bordeaux

Real Betis have announced the signing of Youssouf Sabaly from Ligue 1 side Bordeaux.

Signed for an undisclosed fee, the 28-year-old Senegal international penned a five-year contract with the La Liga outfit until 2026.

“Real Betis Balompie has added Senegalese player Youssouf Sabaly to its ranks. The new Verdiblanco winger will be linked to the club until 2026,” a statement from the club website read.

“Youssouf Sabaly began his career in the youth ranks of Paris Saint-Germain, where he arrived in 2008. He played the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons on loan at Evian Thonon Gaillard FC.

“The new Verdiblanco player played on loan at Nantes FC in the 2015/16 season.

“In 2016, he joined the ranks of FC Girondins de Bordeaux, a team in which he has played for the last five seasons. In total, Sabaly has played 251 games as a professional, in which he has scored three goals and dished out 21 assists.”

At the Estadio Benito Villamarin, Sabaly is expected to add depth to Real Betis’ backline as they hope to have an impressive 2021-22 season.

In the just-concluded campaign, Manuel Pellegrini’s men fell one point short of a place in next season’s Europa League – having finished sixth on the Spanish elite division log after accruing 61 points from 38 games.

Real Sociedad finished in fifth place to claim one of Spain’s tickets to the competition with a point more.

With this move, Sabaly becomes the third African player in Betis' squad after Paul Akouokou (Cote d'Ivoire), and Aissa Mandi (Algeria).

Sabaly is expected to be unveiled by the club alongside other new signings before the end of this week.

On the international scene, he represented France at U17, U18 and U19 level.

His impressive displays saw him promoted to the French U20 team. There, he played a key role in the European side’s triumph at the 2013 Fifa U20 World Cup staged in Turkey.

Notwithstanding, he switched his allegiance to his parents’ country, Senegal. He made his Lions of Teranga debut in a 2–0 2018 Fifa World Cup qualification win over South Africa on November 10, 2017.

Since then, he has gone on to feature in 21 official games and he was part of Aliou Cisse’s squad to the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia.