El Chadaille Bitshiabu becomes Galatasaray’s 12th French player

Galatasaray’s new signing, El Chadaille Bitshiabu, has become the 12th French player in the Turkish club’s history.

The team signed the 21-year-old defender during the summer transfer window, following French midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu, Russian Aleksey Batrakov and Portuguese forward Rafael Leao.

Galatasaray previously signed French players Didier Six, Sebastien Perez, Franck Ribery, Lionel Carole, Bafetimbi Gomis, Cedric Carrasso, Steven Nzonzi, Sacha Boey, Leo Dubois, Tanguy Ndombele and Ugochukwu.

• Foreign player tally hits 220

Bitshiabu has also become the 220th foreign player to sign for Galatasaray.

Since the Turkish top flight began in 1959, the club has signed 219 foreign players from 55 countries on six continents before adding Bitshiabu.

The defender’s arrival has taken the club’s number of foreign players to 220.

• Represented France at youth level

Bitshiabu has made 21 appearances for France’s youth national teams.

He played nine matches for the under-17 side, six for the under-18 team, five for the under-19 team and one for the under-20 side.

• Brazil leads foreign player list

Galatasaray has signed more players from Brazil than any other country since 1959.

The club has brought in 25 Brazilian players in the last 67 years, while Yugoslavia is second with 16 players. Romania ranks third with 15.

• Eight foreign players of Turkish descent

Eight players of Turkish descent who held citizenship of another country have also represented Galatasaray.

Swiss nationals Kubilay Turkyilmaz, Hakan Yakin and Eren Derdiyok; German citizens Pierre Esser, Kerem Demirbay and Ilkay Gundogan; Sweden international Jimmy Durmaz and Austria-born Yusuf Demir have all worn the club’s shirt.