A third defensive addition of the summer transfer window arrived on Deadline Day in the form of French left-back Melvin Bard on an initial loan from OGC Nice.
The 25-year-old joins Tarik Muharemović and Nico Elvedi in bringing further quality and depth to Daniel Farke’s backline options and was thrilled after putting pen to paper in West Yorkshire.
“Super happy to be here,” our new full-back told LUTV via a translator at Elland Road, after the formalities of his loan switch had been completed. “I can’t wait to discover the city, the stadium, my teammates as well, and to start playing in front of the fans.”
Our sixth signing of an exciting summer, Bard has done his homework on his new surroundings, praising both the club’s past and present as he looks towards his future with the Whites. The opportunity to represent the city is one he couldn’t be happier to have.
“Leeds is a historic club in the Premier League so it was an easy choice,” he added. “Leeds has a great history which makes the club an attractive one.
“And the fans, the atmosphere – there are many players that told me that it was hard to play in Elland Road Stadium. So, all of this is why I am very happy to be here and what I know about the club and the squad.”
When he makes his debut for the Whites in England’s top-flight, the French full-back will fulfil a lifelong ambition of testing himself what is widely touted as the best division in the world, after impressing for several campaigns in his homeland with Nice. After the 25-year-old heard of United’s interest, his mind was made up early on.
“Playing in the Premier League has always been a dream of mine, ever since I was a child,” he proudly smiled. “And when the opportunity came, I seized it immediately. I was made aware of the interest from Leeds a couple days back but everything started to happen really quickly yesterday.”
Having tallied up nearly 170 Ligue 1 appearances with both Nice and boyhood club Lyon, as well as over 20 outings in the UEFA Europa League and Conference League, the versatile left-back – who can feature in midfield and in central defence – brings a wealth of top-level experience for his age.
While his impressive CV should speak for itself, it is Melvin’s fighting talk after looking around his new home that fans will immediately enjoy. Now ready to bolster the already strong defensive ranks, Bard’s attitude to matters on the pitch embodies the path that has got him to the point – ability will only take someone so far.
“I would describe myself as someone who never gives up as a player. I am a defender and I love to defend. I love to attack as well, of course. But to sum it up, I would just say I like the fight and I never give up.
“The target for me is to play as much as possible, starting games and helping the team as much as possible to reach the targets.”
To round up his first interview as a Leeds United player, even despite the language barrier, Melvin couldn’t hide his excitement at the prospect of walking out of the Elland Road tunnel and onto the pitch on a matchday.
He finished by saying: “I can’t wait to play in front of the fans and to see for myself this world-famous atmosphere. And I am sure we will like each other!”
