Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang pens Al Qadsiah deal in Saudi's Pro League
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Emerick Aubameyang pens Al Qadsiah deal in Saudi’s Pro League

Gabonese International Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has officially signed with the Saudi Pro League (SPL) club Al Qadsiah until summer 2026.

The 35-year-old has cut ties with Marseille after just one season with the Ligue 1 side.

Aubameyang, a prominent figure in the English Premier League since joining Arsenal in January 2018, has played for several prestigious clubs across Europe – Including Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, and Arsenal before joining Marseille last summer.

Despite his successful stint in France, Aubameyang’s time with Marseille has come to an end as Al-Qadsiah successfully secured the talisman.

Aubameyang will be linking up with former Real Madrid defender Nacho, who also recently inked a two-year deal with Al Qadsiah.

Reports from Foot Mercato state that Marseille and their new manager, Roberto De Zerbi were unable to convince Aubameyang to fulfil the remainder of his contract.

Gambia's Ebou Adams re-joins Derby from Cardiff City
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Gambia’s Ebou Adams re-joins Derby from Cardiff City

Derby County has re-signed Ebou Adams from Cardiff City. The midfielder assisted the Rams in achieving promotion from League One last season following his loan move on 31 January 2024 until the end of the 2023–24 season.

Adams, who was born in England to Gambian parents, made his debut for the Gambia in November 2017. He also played in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, where Gambia reached the quarter-finals.

The 28-year-old has signed a three-year deal with Derby County. He featured 17 times on loan for Paul Warne’s side last season, helping them secure promotion to the Championship as runners-up in the third tier.

Adams played a crucial role in Derby’s promotion push, contributing to 11 wins and just three losses in the matches he played. He is the fifth player Derby has signed this summer, following the arrivals of Ben Osborn, Kayden Jackson, Jerry Yates, and Kenzo Goudmijn in recent weeks. He has joined the Rams’ squad at their training camp in Spain.

The former Forest Green Rovers player has struggled with injuries, making only 11 appearances in the second tier despite his previous experience at non-league and League Two levels.

He was previously at Norwich but mostly played on loan. Paul Warne has shown interest in Adams following Derby’s return to the Championship, and Adams has already joined the team for their pre-season camp in Spain.

The Egyptian Anti-Doping Organization (EGY-NADO) has cleared Pyramids winger Ramadan Sobhi of doping charges
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Pyramids’ Ramadan Sobhi has been cleared of doping charges

The Egyptian Anti-Doping Organization (EGY-NADO) has cleared Pyramids winger Ramadan Sobhi of doping charges.

Sobhi, 27, was suspended on 26th May after a Barcelona laboratory reported “atypical findings” in a doping test. EGY-NADO investigated and held a hearing where Sobhi denied any wrongdoing.

The committee determined that there was insufficient evidence to support a violation of the Egyptian Anti-Doping Rules. Consequently, Sobhi’s suspension has been lifted.

This decision means Sobhi can rejoin his club after missing seven matches and Egypt’s national team camp for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Sobhi’s return is good news for Pyramids as they compete with Ahly on 22nd July for the Egyptian Premier League title. This is a relief for Sobhi, who has maintained his innocence throughout the process.

Background!

Ramadan Sobhi Ahmed, born on January 23, 1997, is a winger for Pyramids FC and the Egypt national team. He started his career with Al Ahly and later played for English clubs Stoke City and Huddersfield Town.

He also represented Egypt in the 2018 World Cup and participated in the Tokyo Olympics.

Youssef Aymen has become Al Ahly's first summer signing, joining the team on a season-long loan with an option to make the deal permanent.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Defender Youssef Aymen pens Al Ahly loan deal from Al-Duhail

Youssef Aymen has become Al Ahly’s first summer signing, joining the team on a season-long loan with an option to make the deal permanent.

At 25 years old, this talented individual, who honed their skills at the prestigious Aspire Academy in Qatar, made a significant move to join Al-Duhail’s youth teams in 2017.

Marcel Koller, the coach, has been looking for a new defender for some time. After losing Zineddine Belaid to Sint-Truidense, the club chose Aymen instead.

Aymen, who holds Egyptian citizenship, does not occupy a foreign player spot in the squad. He has played for Al-Duhail, with 59 appearances and five goals, and has earned eight caps with Qatar.

Aymen will become the second Qatari to play for Al Ahly after Hussein Yasser.

He missed out on the 2023 Asian Cup squad but returned to the team in the latest World Cup qualifiers, scoring against India in a 2-1 victory.

Steven Caulker confirms deal with Turkish side Ankara Keçiörengücü
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Steven Caulker confirms deal with Turkish side Keçiörengücü

Sierra Leone captain Steven Caulker has confirmed that he is returning to Turkey to play for Ankara Keçiörengücü, a second-tier side in the TFF First League, after signing a one-year deal with an option for another year.

In December last year, Spanish club FC Malaga City announced a player/coach deal with Steven Caulker, a former defender for Tottenham and Liverpool. However, the deal was cut short due to work permit issues.

Ankara Keçiörengücü Sports Club is a Turkish sports club located in the Keçiören district of Ankara. The football club competes in the TFF First League.

On 15 January 2019, Caulker joined Alanyaspor in the Turkish Süper Lig. He later signed with Fenerbahçe in June 2021 and spent the 2021–22 season on loan at Gaziantep.

In August 2022, he joined Fatih Karagümrük but left in December 2022. In January 2023, Caulker joined Wigan Athletic.

Caulker, aged 32, represented Sierra Leone in AFCON 2021 and aims to continue supporting the national side in the World Cup and 2025 AFCON qualifiers.