Abdennour swaps Monaco for Valencia

"Valencia Football Club has reached an agreement with AS Monaco for the signing of central defender Aymen Abdennour," Valencia said in a statement on their website.

The deal comes just four days after Valencia dumped Monaco out of the Champions League to qualify for the group stages for the first time in three years.

According to reports in the Spanish press, Los Che will pay up to 25 million euros for the 26-year-old.

"Valencia is a big club in Spain and in Europe, I didn't have any doubts," said Abdennour.

"I am happy to be here in a serious and ambitious project."

Abdennour will replace Nicolas Otamendi at the heart of the Valencia defence after the Argentine left to join Manchester City earlier this month.