Jonathan Kodjia has joined Bristol City, the club have announced.
The 25-year-old leaves French side Angers to move to England with the club and puts pen to paper on a three-year deal which has cost the Robins €3 million, or £2.1 million.
Kodjia, a striker, was the second highest top-scorer in Ligue 2 last season, scoring 15 goals in 28 games as his team finished third in the league to win automatic promotion to the French top tier. He initially came through Reims' youth system, but left them in the summer of last year after failing to make an impact at the club, despite promising loan spells elsewhere in France at Cherbourg, Amiens and Caen.
Manager thrilled with signing
Bristol boss Steve Cotterill expressed his delight with Kodjia's arrival when speaking to the club's official website, telling them that he is "very pleased" that the player decided to join the club as "there has been lots of interest in him in the past year."
The striker was named as Ligue 2's Player of the Year after a successful in front of goal last season and Cotterill was full of praise for the Frenchman, believing that he is at "a good age, has great pace [and] has scored some fantastic goals."
The 51-year-old is also confident that the new signing "will fit into the young group" at the club, as well as bolstering their attack, an area he thinks they are now "light in" due to an "injury to Kieran Agard," which also follows the departure of Jay Emmanuel-Thomas.
When discussing the money paid for Kodjia, one that perhaps puts pressure on the player to perform and the manager to get the best out of him, Cotterill dismissed claims of it being a hefty price tag, even going as far as saying that he believes it is "good business" given "some of the prices" in "the striker market" right now, ones he admitted are "completely out of [Bristol's] reach and unrealistic."
Kodjia excited about the move
The player himself also spoke to Bristol's website about his transfer, admitting that he is "very happy" to have completed the switch.
The 25-year-old said that he has done some research on the club and thus he knows about their "big fanbase, the players and the city," all of which have impressed him.
Furthermore, Kodjia said that he is "looking forward to discovering a new country," especially as "it's a dream" of his to play in England. He is particutarly excited about "experiencing the competition in the Championship" too, with Bristol having topped League One last season to win automatic promotion to the second tier.
As for what he can add to the team, the striker described himself as a player who "can run and [enjoys] scoring goals." He cited his strengths as being his "pace and athleticism" and hopes this "continues to still be the case in England."
