Garba Traoré has completed a permanent move from French side ESA Linas-Montlhéry to Albanian club KF Këlcyra, signing a contract that runs from 2026-02-02 to 2026-02-02. The 24-year-old centre-back leaves the National 3 outfit for a new challenge abroad, with the transfer registered as a standard deal and the fee undisclosed.
The switch takes Traoré out of the French lower-league system and into Albanian football, where KF Këlcyra have secured a tall, right-footed defender standing 1.96 metres. While the destination league is listed as N/A, the move marks a clear step into a different footballing environment for the Clichy-la-Garenne-born player, who holds both French and Malian nationality.
Traoré joins KF Këlcyra after a brief spell at Linas-Montlhéry, whom he had only joined earlier in the 2025/26 season from Italian club FCD Atletico Ruoti. That earlier transfer, also a standard deal with no disclosed fee, followed a period in which Traoré had been without a club after leaving FC Victoria Rosport II in Luxembourg in the summer of the 2024/25 campaign.
The new signing extends a nomadic early career that has already taken him through several countries and competitions. Having come through the youth ranks at Red Star FC in France, Traoré moved to Paris Sport & Culture, then on to UJA Maccabi Paris Métropole and later Villemomble Sports, all in the French system. A move to FC Victoria Rosport II took him into Luxembourgish football, before he returned to the free-agent market, signed for Atletico Ruoti in Italy, went back to France with Linas-Montlhéry, and now makes the jump to KF Këlcyra in Albania.
Capable of operating as a central defender and listed primarily as a centre-back, Traoré adds height and physical presence to his new club’s back line. No official market value is listed for the player in the current data, and there is no publicly available figure for the transfer fee involved in his switch to Albania.
Internationally, Traoré is eligible for both France and Mali, though there is no record in the provided data of senior or youth national team appearances. His move to KF Këlcyra will nonetheless be noted by observers in both countries, with French and Malian followers likely to track how he adapts to a new football culture and competition.
While detailed appearance statistics, match-by-match performances and recent results for Linas-Montlhéry or KF Këlcyra are not available in the data, the trajectory of Traoré’s club career underscores a player willing to cross borders and divisions to establish himself. From regional French leagues to Luxembourg, Italy and now Albania, his path reflects a readiness to seek opportunities wherever they arise.
KF Këlcyra’s acquisition of Traoré offers the Albanian side a defender with experience across multiple European grassroots and semi-professional environments. If he settles quickly and secures regular playing time, this move could become a pivotal stage in shaping his reputation and opening further doors in his still-developing career.
