The urgency is increasing for clubs as preparations continue for the upcoming 2023-24 campaign for the majority of leagues around the world. Several African players completed significant transfers and Pan-Africa Football provides more detail on the latest moves below as well as a list of significant transfers involving African players:
Click here to see the list of transfers in our previous roundup.
A major transfer involving a European-based player moving to the riches of Saudi football was completed on Tuesday with Ivory Coast national team midfielder Seko Fofana moving to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr. The big spending club based in Riyadh spent €19 million to bring in a central midfielder who has been in the Team of the Year for France’s Ligue 1 the past two seasons.
Another Ivorian national team member moved for a large fee as well. Former Club Brugge central defender Abakar Sylla is now a member of Strasbourg in France’s Ligue 1 and will be playing for 1998 FIFA World Cup winner Patrick Vieira. Strasbourg parted ways with €20 million to bring in the 20-year-old rising star who broke into the Club Brugge side with 27 appearances this season including 6 appearances in the UEFA Champions League group stage. Sylla also made his first appearances for the Ivorian senior national team, debuting against Senegal in January.
Just confirmed on Tuesday is a major transfer from European football to African club football. Egypt national team member Emam Ashour is returning to the Egyptian Premier League with the former Zamalek star joining rivals as well as newly crowned Egyptian and African club champions Al Ahly. The 25-year-old central midfielder spent only six months at Danish club Midtjylland who reportedly made back the €2.7 million spent to bring Ashour in from Zamalek.
Tanzania national team star Mbwana Samatta will move to a new destination in European football after completing a free transfer to Greek side PAOK. After struggling to gain regular playing time at Turkish giants Fenerbahçe the former Simba SC and TP Mazembe star spent the past two seasons on loan in Belgian football.
See the full list of selected transfers involving African players below.
Transfers of note
Seko Fofana (CIV): RC Lens (FRA) ⇒ Al-Nassr (KSA) €19 million
Abakar Sylla (CIV): Club Brugge (BEL) ⇒ Strasbourg (FRA) €20 million
Emam Ashour (EGY): Midtjylland (DEN) ⇒ Al Ahly (EGY) €2.7 million (Reported)
Mbwana Samatta (TZA): Fenerbahçe (TUR) ⇒ PAOK (GRC) Free
Rassoul Ndiaye (SEN): Sochaux (FRA) ⇒ Le Havre (FRA) €1.5 million
Thapelo Maseko (RSA): SuperSport United (RSA) ⇒ Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA)
Andile Jali (RSA): Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA) ⇒ Swallows FC (RSA) Free
Oussama Darfalou: FC Emmen (NED) ⇒ CR Belouizdad (ALG)
Bernard Mensah (GHA): Kayserispor (TUR) ⇒ Al-Tai (KSA) Free
Achraf Bencharki (MAR): Al-Jazira (UAE) ⇒ Free Agent
Jonathan Bamba (CIV): LOSC Lille (FRA) ⇒ Celta Vigo (ESP) Free
Nohan Kenneh (LIB): Hibernian (SCO) ⇒ Shrewsbury (ENG) (Loan)
Victor Olatunji (NGA): Slovan Liberec (CZE) ⇒ Sparta Prague (CZE)
Brahim Ouattara (CIV): RC Abidjan (CIV) ⇒ Auda (LVA)
Patrick Andrade (CPV): Partizan Belgrade (SRB) ⇒ Qarabağ (AZE)
