There is just over a week until the transfer window ends and the activity continues to increase as clubs make their final adjustments for the 2023-24 season. In our latest transfer recap below we highlight the moves of two Morocco stars at the 2022 FIFA World Cup as well as several prominent African talents who have switched leagues in Europe.
Click here to see the list of transfers in our previous roundup.
Two Morocco national team stars completed transfers with goalkeeper Yassine Bounou moving to Saudi football for a large fee while playmaker Hakim Ziyech finally moved away from English Premier League club Chelsea. Ziyech moves on loan to Turkish giants Galatasaray with a permanent transfer being agreed if certain conditions are met during his loan this season. Another member of the 2022 World Cup side, forward Walid Cheddira, completed a transfer to Italian Serie A champions Napoli and subsequently moved on loan to fellow Serie A club Frosinone after establishing himself as a top striker in the second tier Serie B with Bari.
Among the other notable moves for African players in European football are Ivorian national team defender Wilfried Singo and Mali striker Ibrahima Koné. Singo is off to AS Monaco and Koné is now playing in Spain’s La Liga after Almería paid a €7.5 million fee to bring in the 24-year-old from French club Lorient. EDIT: Right to Dream graduate Ernest Nuamah is also on the move for a major fee after completing a reported €25 million (plus €5 million in add-ons) to Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyonnais from Danish club FC Nordsjælland.
Nuahmah will come in to Lyon as Cameroon national team striker Karl Toko Ekambi gets set to move on from the club with the confirmation of his transfer to Saudi Arabia’s Abha Club pending. Toko Ekambi will be joined in Saudi Arabia by Senegal’s Bouly Junior Sambou who joined newly promoted Saudi Pro League club Al-Riyadh after a very successful individual season with Moroccan club Wydad AC.
There were several more notable transfers involving North African players. Algeria national team all-time leading scorer Islam Slimani is off to an interesting destination after completing a free transfer to Brazilian club football with Coritiba. Compatriot and fellow forward Mohamed El Amine Amoura completed a transfer to top Belgian side Union SG after two seasons with Swiss club Lugano.
Moroccan midfielder Mehdi Moubarik, a star at the 2021 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, is back in Moroccan football after completing a loan to Raja CA with an option for the club to buy following a spell in the United Arab Emirates with Al-Ain. A standout defender at the 2023 U-20 AFCON, Omar Fayed, will be playing in Turkey with Fenerbahçe after completing a transfer from Egyptian Premier League side Arab Contractors. Libya national team star Muaid Ellafi is back in Libyan club football with a free transfer to Al-Ahli Tripoli from Morocco’s Wydad AC.
See a list of notable recent transfers involving African players below.
Transfers of note
Ernest Nuamah (GHA): FC Nordsjælland (DEN) ⇒ Lyon (FRA) €25 million
Yassine Bounou (MAR): Sevilla (ESP) ⇒ Al-Hilal (KSA) €21 million
Wilfried Singo (CIV): Torino (ITA) ⇒ Monaco (FRA) €10 million
Ibrahima Koné (MLI): Lorient (FRA) ⇒ Almería (ESP) €7.5 million
Hakim Ziyech (MAR): Chelsea (ENG) ⇒ Galatasaray (TUR) Loan
Walid Cheddira (MAR): Bari (ITA) ⇒ Napoli (ITA) Transfer ⇒ Frosinone (ITA) Loan
Mohamed El Amine Amoura (ALG): Lugano (SWI) ⇒ Union SG (BEL) €4 million
Karl Toko Ekambi (CMR): Lyon (FRA) ⇒ Abha Club (KSA) €2 million
Emmanuel Yeboah (GHA): CFR Cluj (ROU) ⇒ Brøndby (DEN) €1.8 million
Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi (NGA): NK Celje (SVN) ⇒ Salernitana (ITA) €1.8 million
Sory Kaba (GUI): Midtjylland (DEN) ⇒ Las Palmas (ESP) €1.5 million
Bouly Junior Sambou (SEN): Wydad AC (MAR) ⇒ Al-Riyadh (KSA) €800,000
Omar Fayed (EGY): Arab Contractors (EGY) ⇒ Fenerbahçe (TUR) €551,000
Islam Slimani (ALG): Free Agent ⇒ Coritiba (BRA) Free Transfer
Moussa Marega (MLI): Al-Hilal (KSA) ⇒ Free Agent
Mehdi Moubarik (MAR): Al-Ain (UAE) ⇒ Raja CA (MAR) Loan
Muaid Ellafi (LBY): Wydad AC (MAR) ⇒ Al-Ahli Tripoli (LBY) Free Transfer
Kwame Peprah (GHA): Orlando Pirates (RSA) ⇒ Kerala Blasters (IND) Free Transfer
Paul Mukairu (NGA): FC Copenhagen (DEN) ⇒ Reading (ENG) Loan
