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Joe Donnohue

Former Leeds United fan favourite Gaetano Berardi signs deadline day contract after trial period

Following his departure from Leeds United last summer, Gaetano Berardi has finally found a new club on deadline day of the January transfer window.

The 33-year-old has signed a short-term deal with Swiss Super League outfit FC Sion until the end of the season.

Sion - who compete in Switzerland's top flight - are currently placed sixth in the league and based in the south of the Alpine country.

Berardi has been rewarded with a contract until the end of the 2021/22 season following a successful trial period with the two-time Swiss champions.

He has not played competitively since his Elland Road farewell in May last year, when the former Swiss international bid an emotional goodbye to his home of seven seasons in West Yorkshire.

A statement on FC Sion's website reads: "FC Sion is pleased to announce the commitment of Gaetano Berardi until the end of the current season! The Ticino defender signed up after convincing the Valais leaders during his month of trial.

"In England, he enjoyed his greatest successes, including promotion to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa. In the English city, where his mentality is praised, he will have marked the minds of the supporters.

Marcelo Bielsa embraces Swiss defender Gaetano Berardi after his final game for Leeds United (Stu Forster/Getty Images)

"Since the resumption at the beginning of January, the defender, able to evolve in each of the positions of the rearguard, trained with the professional group of FC Sion. In particular, he played in the two friendly matches of the preparation against Servette FC and against BSC Young Boys. Solid in duels and with an irreproachable mentality, he was able to show his qualities."

Sion Sporting Director Barthélémy Constantin says: “He knew the high level and has a great experience of Italian and English football. He will bring us his experience for the rest of the season."

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