Confirmed: Köln sign Chabot permanently
Germany's cathedral city side confirmed the permanent signing of defender Julian "Jeff" Chabot on Thursday.
Despite operating under a blanket transfer ban, 1. FC Köln were able to complete the permanent signing of on-loan defender U.C. Sampdoria defender Jeff Chabot on Thursday. The 25-year-old joined the cathedral city side on an an extended loan last January. The fact that Chabot was registered with a purchase option long before the transfer ban was placed into effect rendered the transaction possible.
Club management had long been open about their desire to keep Chabot; a regular fixture in head-coach Steffen Baumgart's starting XI. Köln sporting director Christian Keller hailed the Hanau-native as a "stabilizing force in our defensive corps" and called him a "great fit for our team". The player himself declared himself "very comfortable" with the Effzeh.
Earlier reports suggests that the Domstädter would have to pay the Serie A side around €2.5 million to activate the pre-arranged purchase clause. Chabot maintains an estimated market worth of €3.5 million in the latest transfermarkt listings. Köln's transfer ban still applies to the signing of 1. FC St. Pauli vice captain Leart Paqarada on a free for the coming season.
It remains unclear as to whether Paqarada will be able to switch.