Berthod keen to start anew at Monaco

Jérémy Berthod is hoping to get his career back on track after the left-back left Ligue 1 champions Olympique Lyonnais to sign a four-year deal with AS Monaco FC.

Abidal impact
Berthod, once hailed as a future French international, came through the ranks at Lyon and was involved in their last four title triumphs. However, chances had been limited following the arrival of national-team defender Eric Abidal in summer 2004 and his ten league appearances last season were his lowest return for a campaign since his debut. In all, he made 74 Ligue 1 outings for the Stade de Gerland outfit, scoring once.

Competition welcome
Despite Abidal's departure for FC Barcelona last month, Berthod was eager to make the move south in a €2m transfer. "I was looking for stability and the chance for a regular role in a team," he said. "Of course, I'm not saying there will be no competition between me and other defenders but I would really like to play every game. It's been 18 months of not playing every week. That's the kind of challenge I was looking for."