Carl Medjani (Arabic: كارل مدجاني) (born 15 May 1985 in Lyon, France) is an Algerian international football player who currently plays as a defenderfor Olympiacos and the Algeria national team.
Career
After spending his youth development years at Saint-Étienne he was signed by Liverpool's manager Gérard Houllier in August 2003. Liverpool beat off stiff competition from Premiership rivals Arsenal, Manchester United and German giants Bayern Munich to secure his services.
Medjani struggled to break in the first team was sent on loan to Lorient for the whole 2004-05 season by new Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez. Despite impressing in the Toulon under-20 tournament in summer 2005, Benítez deemed it necessary for him to gain more experience and so he spent 2005-06 on loan at FC Metz. During the season he made 23 appearances for a struggling Metz team, who were eventually relegated from the French Ligue 1.
At the start of the 2006-07 season, he rejoined Lorient, this time on a permanent basis
In January 2013, just prior to the close of the transfer window, Medjani joined Monaco on a three and a half year contract from Ajaccio.
In July 2013, Medjani signed a 3 year contract with Olympiacos for €1.5 million.
International career
Medjani captained the France U21 team in the 2006 Toulon tournament However, being of Algerian origin, he made the switch to represent Algeria in international competition and was called up by Rabah Saâdane to the Algerian preliminary squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 15 May 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Lyon, France | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Centre Back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Olympiacos | ||
| Number | 22 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2000–2003 | Saint-Étienne | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2003–2006 | Liverpool | 0 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | → Lorient (loan) | 25 | (0) |
| 2005–2006 | → Metz (loan) | 23 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | Lorient | 9 | (0) |
| 2007–2013 | Ajaccio | 184 | (8) |
| 2013 | Monaco | 15 | (0) |
| 2013– | Olympiacos | 4 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2001–2002 | France U16 | 16 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | France U17 | 10 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | France U18 | 8 | (0) |
| 2004–2006 | France U21 | 5 | (1) |
| 2010– | Algeria | 24 | (1) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19 November, 2013 | |||
