The transfer activity is continuing to accelerate as the end of January and the transfer window approaches with several prominent African players making moves. Morocco midfielder Azzedine Ounahi was the highest profile move with the 22-year-old FIFA World Cup star set for a move to Olympique Marseille from fellow French Ligue 1 club Angers. The transfer fee appears to be in the range of €8-10 million.
That was not the only transfer involving Marseille after Senegal national team forward Bamba Dieng moved the other way to FC Lorient. The 22-year-old was largely limited to a substitute role with OM and will expect to be used more after Lorient spent €7 million to acquire his services.
English-born forward Antoine Semenyo, who committed to the Ghana national team and was with the Black Stars at the World Cup, was included in AFC Bournemouth’s spending spree as the team looks to succeed in its battle to avoid relegation from the English Premier League. The 23-year-old Bristol City player completed his move for a reported fee of €10.25 million after accumulating 8 goals and 3 assists in 27 matches for the second tier club.
There were two transfers involving top African clubs as well over the weekend. ES Sétif central midfielder Ahmed Kendouci, current top scorer in Algeria’s Ligue 1 Professionnelle and participating with Algeria at the ongoing 2022 African Nations Championship (CHAN), is moving to Egyptian power club Al Ahly after the competition. The 23-year-old joins Ahly for a reported €925,000 after scoring 22 goals and providing 19 assists in 122 appearances for Sétif and will add to a talented Ahly midfield that has had issues with injuries.
Gabon national team striker Axel Méyé completed a loan move to Morocco Botola Pro club Olympique Safi from Raja CA for an undisclosed fee over the weekend. The 27-year-old marksman was second on the scoring charts as a member of IR Tanger during the 2021-22 Botola Pro season but endured a disastrous first half of the season after completing a €332,000 transfer to the Green Eagles. Méyé will look to find his form in the second half of the season with OCS after failing to score in six matches for Raja, which resulted in plenty of criticism from Raja supporters and his exclusion from the team under manager Mondher Kebaier.
