Bakary Touray has completed a transfer from Tunisian side JS Kairouan to Saudi Arabian club Al-Arabi, sealing a move that takes the Gambian defensive midfielder into the Saudi First Division League on a contract running from 05/02/2026 to 05/02/2030. The deal is registered as a standard transfer, with the fee not disclosed, and sees the 20-year-old leave North African football for a new chapter in Saudi Arabia’s second tier.
Al-Arabi secure the services of a player currently valued at €250k, according to the latest market valuation during his time at JS Kairouan. Touray arrives as a specialist in the defensive midfield role, recruited to add protection in front of the back line and to strengthen the spine of a squad competing in a demanding division. His move is confirmed in the 25/26 season framework, aligning him with Al-Arabi’s medium-term project as they look to consolidate or improve their status in the Saudi First Division League.
For JS Kairouan, the transfer ends Touray’s brief but significant spell at the Tunisian club. He had joined them from an unknown previous side on 01/07/2025, climbing quickly enough to reach a quarter-million-euro valuation by late November of the same year. The switch to Saudi Arabia therefore marks a rapid rise for a player who turned 20 in March 2005 and is already deemed ready for a cross-continental move.
Touray’s arrival gives Al-Arabi a young, potentially resale‑valuable option at the base of midfield, with room for development in both physical and tactical aspects of the game. As a defensive midfielder, his primary tasks will centre on breaking up play, shielding the defence and initiating transitions from deep, the kind of profile many clubs in the region increasingly prioritise as the Saudi game grows more strategically sophisticated.
The transfer also reinforces a growing pathway for Gambian talents seeking careers abroad. Touray, who holds nationality with The Gambia, has already taken one major step outside his home country by playing in Tunisia’s Ligue 1, a competition known for its intensity and tactical discipline. Moving on to Saudi Arabia exposes him to a different style of football and a league that has been steadily gaining international attention, particularly for its investment in emerging and established players alike.
From a career perspective, this change of club offers Touray the opportunity to test himself against a new set of opponents and to broaden his professional profile beyond North Africa. Should he adapt well to Al-Arabi and the Saudi First Division League, the move could significantly enhance his reputation and open doors to higher levels within the region or beyond when his current contract runs its course.
