Sol Bamba has completed a permanent transfer to Leeds United, after impressing at the Championship club whilst on loan last season.
The 30-year-old, who has been capped 44 times by the Ivory Coast national side, spent the second half of last term on loan at Elland Road after making just one Serie A appearance for Palermo following his transfer to the Italian side the prior summer. He went on to play 19 league matches for the Whites, and scored in the 3-0 win over Fulham on 18 March.
Bamba made no secret of his desire to sign a permanent contract with the Yorkshire giants, who even appointed him captain on occasions during his temporary spell. And the central defender, who has previously featured for clubs including Paris Saint Germain, Hibernian, and Leicester City, has now penned a two-year contract at the club with an option of a further 12 months.
A statement on the club’s website read: “We are delighted to confirm that Sol Bamba has returned to the club on a permanent basis. Bamba has penned a two-year deal with the option of a third. The 30-year-old becomes United’s third summer signing following the recent arrivals of goalkeeper Charlie Horton from Cardiff City and striker Lee Erwin from Motherwell.
“Bamba made a big impression while on loan in 2014/15, with the Ivory Coast international becoming a regular fixture and captaining the side on several occasions. Following the end of his initial loan stint at Leeds United, the defender made it abundantly clear that he was hoping to stay permanently and has now signed on the dotted line to end weeks of speculation.”
