Aly Cissokho (born 15 September 1987 in Blois) is a French footballer of Senegalese descent who currently plays for Olympique Lyonnais. His position is left back.

[edit] Club career

[edit] Early career

Cissokho began his football career, in 1995, playing for his local club AMS Blois. After spending four years in the benjamins section, he joined the biggest club in the city, Blois Foot 41. Following his move from Porto to Lyon, Blois were compensated €162,500 due to an agreement Blois reached with both Gueugnon and Porto. The payment helped the club achieve some stability after a few years of financial difficulties.^[1] After spending four years at the club, he spent a year at FCO Saint-Jean-de-la-Ruelle before gaining the attention of second division side FC Gueugnon. In 2004, Cissokho joined Gueugnon and spent three years in the youth system before making his professional debut on the last match day of 2006–07 season, after which he signed a three-year contract extension with the side.

On 2 June 2008, Cissokho signed for Vitória de Setúbal, joining the Portuguese first division outfit on a three-year deal.^[2]

[edit] Porto

After some good performances for the league strugglers, Cissokho moved north, joining Portuguese giants F.C. Porto in January 2009.^[3] He was immediately cast into the starting XI of Jesualdo Ferreira's side, helping it conquer its fourth consecutive league title and reach the Champions League quarterfinals.

[edit] 2009-10 Summer Transfer Saga

On 14 June 2009, Italian club A.C. Milan announced that the club had snapped up Cissokho, subject to medical,^[4] with a reported deal of €15 million.^[5] The player underwent his medical on the 16 June, but the very next day it was revealed he had failed it due to a problem with his teeth that could indicate potential spinal troubles, and that the move was in jeopardy of collapse.^[6]

However, Cissokho later declared he had passed a second medical he undertook, and that he had subsequently signed a pre-contract.^[7] In the meantime, Milan tried to renegotiate the bid on a loan basis due to Cissokho's health concerns; as the parties failed to reach an agreement, the Italians general manager, Adriano Galliani, subsequently announced the deal was cancelled.^[8] On 23 June, the transfer saga continued, with the player's agent stating that Milan had offered Porto a new deal.^[9]

[edit] Olympique Lyon

On 18 July, French club Olympique Lyonnais announced that they had reached an agreement with Porto for the transfer of Cissokho, in a deal which equaled Milan's €15 million bid.^[10]. However, Porto remain eligible to receive 20% of any future transfer fee Lyon receives for the player. Cissokho successfully passed his medical and agreed to a five-year contract. He was presented to the media, along with fellow new signing Michel Bastos, on 20 July and was assigned the number 20 shirt.^[11]

Cissokho immediately became Claude Puel's first team left back, starting each of Lyon's first six Ligue 1 matches of the 2009-10 season, helping the team challenge league champions Girondins de Bordeaux at the top of the table despite expectations Lyon would rebuild after the summer sale of Karim Benzema.^[12] His ability to hold down the position led to Lyon selling the previous season's left back, Italian international Fabio Grosso, to Juventus at the end of the 2009 summer transfer window.^[13]

[edit] International

Cissokho received his first France call-up in November 2009.^[14]

[edit] Honours

• Portuguese League: 2008–09
• Portuguese Cup: 2008–09

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Aly Cissokho French league stats at lfp.fr (French)
• PortuGOAL profile
• Stats and profile at Zerozero