Paris, Aug 9 (IANS): Paris Saint-Germain have announced the signing of Willian Pacho. The 22-year-old defender, who will wear the number 51, has signed on for a five-year contract which will see him stay at the 12-time league champions till 2029

Born in Ecuador, Willian Pacho was 16 when he joined Independiente del Valle in 2017. The young centre-back worked his way up through the youth categories, U20s and reserve team, before making his debut in the Primera Categoria Serie A (Ecuadorian league) in November 2019 against Delfin. During his time at the club, he won the Copa Sudamericana the Copa Libertadores U20 and the Ecuadorian League in 2021 before moving on to play in the Belgium league for Royal Antwerp.

"I'm very happy to be joining Paris Saint-Germain. I hope to bring my personality and show all my determination to win many trophies," said Willian Pacho to the PSG media team.

With his strong athleticism and excellent vision of the team game, the left-footed player reached a real milestone as he continued his meteoric rise in Germany.

Signed by Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023, Willian Pacho discovered the Bundesliga and UEFA Conference League and quickly became a key player in the team. He made a major contribution to his club's success that season, as the sixth-best defence in the Bundesliga. The defender made a total of 44 appearances in all competitions and is considered one of last season's great revelations in the German top flight.

His fine performances also opened the doors to the Ecuador national team in 2022. Called up to the squad for the World Cup in Qatar, his first official cap came a few months later in a friendly against Australia, scoring the first goal of his young career in a 2-1 victory for his country.

At just 22 years old, the central defender has 16 caps to date and has scored two goals. Recently called up for the Copa America and an ever-present in Ecuador’s starting line-up, Willian Pacho has become a key member of his national team.

“We are delighted to welcome Willian Pacho to the Paris Saint-Germain family. Willian is a fantastic young international player – and the latest top talent to join our Club. At Paris Saint-Germain we continue to build our project based on an amazing, young talented team – and most importantly, the collective team,” said Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al-Khelaifi.