Talented defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu signs for RB Leipzig
18-year-old French defender arrives from Paris Saint-Germain | Five-year contract | Will wear the number 5
RB Leipzig have completed the signing of talented defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu. The 18-year-old has joined from French champions Paris Saint-Germain and signed a long-term contract valid until 2028. The 1.96m left-footed centre-back will wear the number 5.
Bitshiabu made his first-team debut for PSG in the French Cup on 19th December 2021 aged just 16 years and 213 days. His first appearance in Ligue 1 came in April 2022.
Overall, the youngster played 19 competitive games for PSG’s first team, including one in the UEFA Champions League (against FC Bayern on 8th March 2023). Bitshiabu currently plays for France's U19s and has won three caps for them to date.
Welcome to Leipzig, Chad!
El Chadaille Bitshiabu:
- “I’m delighted to now be a part of RB Leipzig. The club has a great reputation in France, partly because of their on-the-pitch success, but also because young players can undergo an incredible development here at the highest level.
Max Eberl and the management showed me the club’s unique and exciting path, which lured me in right away. I cannot wait to start getting ready for the new season together with the team.”
Max Eberl, board member for sport:
- “El Chadaille is one of the most exciting young defenders in Europe and we’re proud that he now plays for RB Leipzig. Even though he just turned 18 in May, he’s already played 19 times for PSG’s first team at the top level and that just shows the kind of quality he possesses.
El Chadaille is extremely quick, strong in the air, a tough tackler and good on the ball too. The fact that he’s also left footed means he perfectly fit the kind of player we wanted.
Nevertheless, he’s a still really young and has moved to a new country and new club. El Chadaille will get the time he needs to settle in here so that he can slowly start to perform to his best and help us out on the pitch.”
Player profile
- Name: El Chadaille Bitshiabu
- Date of birth: 16th May 2005
- Place of birth: Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, France
- Age: 18
- Nationality: French
- Preferred foot: Left
- Height: 1.96m
- Position: Centre-back
Previous clubs
- from 07/2023: RB Leipzig
- 07/2022 until 07/2023: Paris Saint-Germain
- Youth sides: US Saint-Denis, AC Boulogne-Billancourt, Paris Saint-Germain
Statistics
- Ligue 1 (France): 14 games
- UEFA Champions League: 1 game
- Coupe de France: 4 games
- UEFA Youth League: 6 games
- France youth sides: 18 games (U17s to U19s)
