Leverkusen sign French U21 international

German champions Bayer Leverkusen concluded their first piece of summer transfer business on Friday evening.

19-year-old full-back Jeanuël Belocian has been announced as a new player for Die Werkself, joining from Stade Rennes on a contract until 2029.

"Jeanuël Belocian is a great talent but already has a lot of experience at the highest level in France. He has the ability to pass well and also has outstanding athleticism," said Bayer Leverkusen managing director for sport Simon Rolfes.

"Jeanuël is a long-term signing – he will bring us a lot of joy in the coming years and has the potential to become an important player for Bayer 04," he added.

Belocian is looking forward to the challenges ahead with the German champions.

“Of course, there has been contact with Bayer 04 for a long time. It’s simply incredible for me to be able to join the German double winners. I'm looking forward to it and to the fans and the stadium in Leverkusen. I've watched the team's European games on television – and the way they played was really fantastic,” he said.

A left-footed defender, Belocian made 27 appearances in all competitions for Rennes last season, mainly as a central defender in a back four, but also occasionally as a left-back.