Ivory Coast’s Gnognon Joins Sevilla on a 4-year Deal

Ivory Coast centre-back Joris Gnognon has joined Spanish outfit Sevilla from Stade Rennais on a five-year deal worth a reported £15 million.

The Los Rojiblancos revealed on their official website that the 21-year-old will join the side in a deal that will keep him at the club till 2023.

The Franco-Ivorian defender played in 32 league games for Rennes last season helping the minnows finish the season fifth, with the league’s sixth best defensive record in League 1.

The Ivorian came through the youth ranks at Rennes before breaking into the senior side in 2016. He made his first team debut in January 2016, just weeks after his 19^th birthday and was an immediate revelation. He enjoyed a spectacular break-out season featuring an impressive 27 times, earning a prized permanent role on the team in the process.

After an impressive campaign, he was called up by the then Elephants’ coach Marc Wilmots in May 2017 for international duty but didn’t feature in any games.

He started 32 of the 38 league games last season helping his side keep 10 clean sheets and was on target against both AS Monaco and Olympic de Marseille. These performances earned him an invite from the under-21 French National team.

He accepted the invite and made his debut for the France under 21s side in May 2018 despite committing his future to Ivory Coast.

He is still eligible for both nations and with a move to Sevilla, the French and Ivory Coast scouts will be keeping tabs on his progress.