Cameroon: Olivier Kemen aged 27 has recently signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Turkish top-flight football club Istanbul Basaksehir. Previously, Kemen played as a midfielder for Cameroonian football team Kayserispor.
As per the sources, Kemen was feeling unattached after leaving Kayserispor due to reported unpaid salaries, which led to the transfer of the player.
The contract signed by Olivier Kemen and Istanbul Basaksehir will stay until the Super League in 2027.
The former Lyon and Newcastle United midfield juggernaut announced the decision after the end of Cameroon’s disappointing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign that ended in the eighth-finals.
The transfer ends with the capital city club’s long-running pursuit of the 27-year-old, who was first targeted to join Kayserispor. The arrival of the player maintained an ongoing trend of Cameroonian talents opting for Turkish clubs.
Reportedly, Kemen spent three years on the books of Kayserispor, during which he asserted himself as a regular player in the first team, scoring four goals in 54 games, during which he was singled out for multiple individual awards.
Kemen will join the compatriot Pierre Achille Webo at his new club as the former Cameroon international is part of the backroom staff of Istanbul Basaksehir.
Notably, Olivier Kemen can make his debut for the club, starting this weekend, while hosting Iastanbuluspor in their next Turkish Super League fixture.
Considerably, the official page Indomitable Lions Tracker and Muambo E Lyonga have informed about the transfer of the soccer player to Istanbul Basaksehir. Photographs related to the same were also shared by the officials.
Following the transfer news many people have responded to it and shared their reactions.
A follower of Muambo E Lyonga, Claude Sandra wrote, “Cheer up the best is yet to come.”
Another follower Kluvertte Junior Hollins commented, “never step foot in the national team even if they call you…yarm…just stay in your club.”
Another social media user Nfor Neymar Emmanuel wrote, “come back stronger”
A person Raymond Etchu wrote, “Kemen was called to play for Cameroon without a club, while Kunde who performs well for his club every week wasn’t called up. Fai Collins wasn’t called because Song said he was clubless. Song, your level of injustice & incompetence is outrageous and you’re not qualified to manage the indomitable lions.”
To which YT Megacoach responded by tagging Raymond Etchu, “Kemen wasn’t without a club. He just terminated his contract from old club immediately after the last game at AFCON.”