Kenya’s 1988 African Cup of Champions Clubs representatives Shabana have signed top 2024/25 Senegalese Ligue 1 season top scorer Pape Doudou Diallo.
Diallo joins the Glamour Boys from Tanzanian Premier League side and CAF Confederation contenders Azam FC as the Kisii based side completed the signing of five new players in the recently concluded mid-season transfer window.
Diallo joined Azam six months ago after completing the 2024/25 Senegalese Ligue 1 season as the league’s top scorer with 11 goals while turning out for the country’s 2009 top flight league side champions ASC Linguère de Saint-Louis.
Despite being Senegal’s top scorer he was not included in Senegal’s squad list for the 2024 African Nations Championships co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania last year.
“I was both surprised and disappointed. It really hurt, because I fought hard to make the squad. I wanted to play in the CHAN,” the young striker lamented.
“Nothing is lost yet. I’m still young. My future is ahead of me. I’ll keep fighting on the pitch for upcoming opportunities. That’s football. You have to respect the coach’s decisions,” he concluded.
While the Senegalese coach Souleymane Diallo did not call up the top scorer of Ligue 1, he did select the leading scorer of Ligue 2, Mapathé Mbodj of AS Kaffrine.
Also joining Shabana is Congolese striker Mambote Batshi Assis, who has arrived from AF Saint Christian in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Peter Okidi-led side has further reinforced its squad with the acquisition of 82 Ultimate Cup Most Valuable Player (MVP) Jasper Omwando from Leads United FC, alongside the signings of FC Talanta attacker Mohammed Abdalla and defensive midfielder John Owira from the the 2021 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Cup third place finishers Bidco United.