LIONEL CAROLE SIGNS TO REINFORCE LEFT OF DEFENSE

Sevilla FC and Galatasaray have reached an agreement for the loan, with an option to buy, of Lionel Carole. The French left-back is 26 years-old and was born in the French region of Montreuil. Carole has spent his last two seasons playing in Istanbul, where he won one league championship and two national cups with Galatasaray. The deal will be closed this Thursday, once Carole passes a medical. 

An U-21 international with France, Carole was part of the Nantes youth set-up, where he played for 15 years. At just 19, he made the leap to the First Team, debuting in the French Ligue 2 and making 14 appearances at that level. His meteoric rise took an unexpected turn in the winter transfer market of the same season when Benfica offered him a five-year professional contract. Carole played six times in the Portuguese Premier Division in the second half of that season, eventually being loaned out to Sedan the following summer.

Without too many chances on his return to France, his 2012/13 season was very different. In Benfica's affiliate side, in the Portuguese Second Division, he made a total of 39 appearances, mainly as a centre-back, and managed to score one goal. The following year he confirmed his return to Ligue 2 by signing with Troyes. As a permanent fixture in the side, Carole made his best impression during his two seasons there, where he played 75 matches and made seven assists. His impressive performances allowed him to make another leap at 25 years-old, when he signed for Galatasaray. Over the course of two seasons he made 44 league appearances, 14 Cup appearances, one Supercup appearance, 5 Champions League appearances and 2 Europa league appearances (one of which being this season against Ostersund). During his time in Turkey he scored one goal and made four assists.