Detroit City FC have completed the permanent signing of Senegalese centre-forward Ates Diouf from Lexington SC on a free transfer, with the deal running from 05/12/2025 to 30/11/2026. The move keeps the 25-year-old in the USL Championship and returns him to a club where he previously spent time on loan.
Diouf, valued at €250,000 according to the latest market data, joins Detroit City after his contract with Lexington SC came to an end, allowing him to move as a free agent. The transfer marks his second spell with the Michigan side following a loan move earlier in the 2024-25 campaign, which concluded when he returned to Lexington at the end of his temporary deal.
Born in Dakar and standing at 1.88m, Diouf arrives as a physically imposing centre-forward tasked with strengthening Detroit City’s attacking options. His latest market valuation, updated during his spell with Detroit, reflects a steady rise from earlier figures at Lexington and San Antonio, underlining how his performances in the United States’ lower divisions have enhanced his profile.
The forward has spent his entire professional club career in the USA, moving through a sequence of sides that include Orlando City B, Austin Bold FC, San Antonio FC and Lexington SC before this permanent switch to Detroit City. Those stints have all come within the American system, with previous experience in the USL Championship and related competitions, rather than in his home country of Senegal.
Diouf’s career path shows a consistent upward trend in value: from €125,000 at Orlando City B, to €150,000 and €175,000 during his time at Austin Bold and San Antonio, and then peaking at €250,000 with Lexington before maintaining that figure at Detroit City. That development suggests Detroit are signing a forward who is entering his prime years, both physically and in market terms.
There is also a contractual implication for the future. With the new deal at Detroit City agreed to run until 30/11/2026, Diouf is currently tied down for one season. However, unless extended, he would again be in a position to become a free agent at the end of that term, leaving open the possibility of another move or a renewal depending on his impact.
For Detroit City, the transfer secures continuity in attack by converting a loan option into a full-time presence in the squad. For Diouf, it is another step in a career built entirely abroad from Senegal, consolidating his status in the USL Championship and giving him a clear platform to further increase his value and influence over the length of his new contract.
