Girona officially announced on Wednesday that former Atletico Madrid midfielder Axel Witsel has completed a free transfer. The two parties signed a contract until June 30, 2026, with an option for a one-year extension.

The official also confirmed that Witsel will wear the No. 20 jersey at Girona.

The 36-year-old Witsel was a key player in the midfield of Belgium's golden generation, having played for Standard Liège, Benfica, Zenit St. Petersburg, Tianjin Quanjian, and Borussia Dortmund. During this time, he made 638 appearances for various teams, contributing 91 goals and 48 assists. He also won two Belgian First Division titles, one Belgian Cup, two Belgian Super Cups, one Portuguese League Cup, one Russian Premier League title, one Russian Cup, two Russian Super Cups, one German Cup, and one German Super Cup.

In July 2022, Witsel joined Atletico Madrid as a free agent. To date, he has made 116 appearances for Atletico Madrid, scoring 3 goals and providing 2 assists.

After completing the transfer, Witsel said: "I came to Girona because I have always admired this team, especially the tactical philosophy of the coach. We had a call and immediately established a good connection. I think this is very important when choosing the next step."

Talking about adaptation, he admitted that it would take some time: "Ideally, I would be integrated into the team from the pre-season, but that is not the case for me. I will find the training and game rhythm as soon as possible."

“My physical and mental condition is good. The only thing I need is to find my match rhythm. To maintain a consistent performance throughout the season and in most competitions, I will first train hard, create a good team atmosphere, and build a good connection with my teammates to stay strong together.”

“We may win, lose or draw games, but as long as we stay united every day, we will have a very good season. The experience I can contribute to the team includes not only training and games, but also off the field.”

"There are many young players in the team and now it's my turn to play the role of a veteran. I will provide support and help to the young players both on and off the court."

As for his goals for this season, Witsel said: "My priority is to adapt to the team as quickly as possible. Every player wants to get more playing time, but I just want to help the team. Whether I play 90 minutes, 45 minutes or 15 minutes, I will do my best for the club, the team, the coach and the fans."