Cameroonian striker Stéphane Bahoken confident of November return after long injury layoff

Stéphane Bahoken has confirmed he will be ready to return to full competition at the beginning of November after several months of rehabilitation.

The Cameroonian forward, who suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon last April, continues to work daily on his recovery as he prepares for a comeback.

Without a club since leaving Turkish side Kayserispor in June, Bahoken has spent the last few months focusing entirely on regaining his strength.

The 33-year-old striker says his progress has been steady and that he feels positive about his recovery process.

“It’s going well, really well,” Bahoken said. “I’ve been doing rehabilitation every day with a physiotherapist.

I’ve also been strengthening my body with a physical trainer. I did a two-month internship at Aspetar in Doha and three weeks at Clairefontaine.”

Bahoken admitted that while his recovery has advanced, he still needs to build full strength in his left leg before returning to action.

“To be fully operational, I think it will be early November,” he explained. “Because of the Achilles tendon, I still lack some strength in my left calf.

That prevents me from sprinting fully. But by early November, that will be fixed.”

The striker’s departure from Kayserispor followed the expiry of his contract, which the club had initially considered extending.

However, his injury changed the situation and ended any discussions about renewal.

“At the time I got injured, the club said they wanted to extend my contract,” Bahoken said.

“But as the season ended, they delayed the talks and later told me that, because of my injury, they wouldn’t renew it.

The coach also left, and there were many changes at the club. So, in the end, it was a no.”

The setback also closed doors to other potential moves during the summer transfer window.

Bahoken revealed that several Turkish clubs had shown interest but hesitated due to his fitness concerns.

“I had contacts with clubs in Turkey before the transfer window closed,” he explained.

“They were interested but wanted to know about my recovery. I wasn’t ready to play in September, so those opportunities faded.”

Despite the challenges, the former Nice academy graduate remains determined to relaunch his career in a familiar environment.

“The idea is to bounce back in a league that knows me,” he said. “It will be almost nine months since I last played.

Playing somewhere familiar will help me return to form. Once I’m back to my best, I can think about new opportunities elsewhere.”

Bahoken’s resilience and commitment reflect his determination to return stronger.

As he continues his recovery, the forward remains focused on finding the right club where he can reignite his career and rediscover his scoring touch.