Bade links up with Echeverri at Leverkusen, reports suggest

In a significant move for Bayer Leverkusen, French central defender Loic Bade has joined the German club on a five-year contract. The 25-year-old defender arrives from Sevilla, where he gained valuable experience in Spain's La Liga.

Bade's transfer to Leverkusen marks his fourth professional club, having previously represented Lens, Le Havre, and Rennes. His arrival was announced on Thursday, making him the second signing for the club this week.

The young but very experienced defender has already showcased his talents against world-class strikers in La Liga, and he's excited about the prospect of playing for Bayer 04 and battling for a trophy.

Bade's signing is seen as an absolute addition to strengthening Leverkusen's defence, with his physicality and ability to read the game set to bolster the team's defensive line. Jarell Quansah and Bade are expected to compete for a starting position following the exit of Jonathan Tah.

Simon Rolfes, the managing sporting director of Bayer Leverkusen, believes the addition of Bade makes their defence "competitive at the highest level". Bade's transfer from Sevilla cost €29m, a substantial investment in the club's future.

Bade's impressive statistics from his time at Sevilla back up his reputation as a solid defender. He won 63.3% of his tackles and 62.3% of his duels in 79 LaLiga appearances for the Spanish club.

Bade's arrival at Leverkusen comes in the same week as Claudio Echeverri, another new addition to Erik ten Hag's side. Meanwhile, Amine Adli has left the club to join Premier League side Bournemouth.

Leverkusen has earned great recognition abroad in recent years, and Bade's decision to join the club demonstrates his admiration for the Bundesliga and German football. According to Bade, he has seen Leverkusen a lot on TV, particularly in European games, and was impressed by the stadium and the Leverkusen fans.

Bade's most recent achievement was playing the full 90 minutes in France's Nations League third-place playoff win over Germany. As he begins his new chapter at Bayer Leverkusen, fans will be eager to see how he performs in the Bundesliga.