ASEC Mimosas complete historic first women’s transfer to Olympique de Marseille

ASEC Mimosas have completed the first women’s transfer in the club’s history, sending Cote d’Ivoire international Habibou Ouedraogo to Olympique de Marseille.

The move represents a significant milestone for both the Abidjan-based club and women’s football in Cote d’Ivoire. Ouedraogo will join the women’s section of the French club, continuing her development and taking the next step in her career in European football.

The transfer has been officially confirmed by ASEC Mimosas, a club renowned internationally for the quality of its academy and its long-standing ability to develop and export talented men’s players.

Ouedraogo’s move to Olympique de Marseille marks the first time ASEC Mimosas have completed a transfer involving one of their female players. Although the fee agreed for the transfer has not been disclosed, the deal has been described as a landmark moment for the growth of the women’s game in Cote d’Ivoire.

The transfer also underlines the expansion of ASEC Mimosas’ academy success into the women’s game. The club’s reputation for developing footballers has traditionally been associated with its men’s programme, but Ouedraogo’s move indicates that its approach is now producing opportunities for female players as well.

By securing a move to a major French institution, Ouedraogo will continue her career within the European football system. Her arrival at Olympique de Marseille offers her a new platform and gives her the opportunity to progress with the club’s women’s team.

For ASEC Mimosas, the agreement is more than an individual player transfer. It is a pioneering step that demonstrates the club’s ambition to establish a pathway for its female footballers beyond Cote d’Ivoire.

The deal could also encourage a new generation of Ivorian girls to pursue professional careers abroad. ASEC Mimosas’ first women’s transfer to Europe provides an example of what can be achieved through the club’s development structure and may help raise the profile of women’s football in the country.

While the financial terms of the agreement remain private, the significance of the move is clear. Ouedraogo becomes the latest product of ASEC Mimosas’ academy to secure an international opportunity, while her transfer to Olympique de Marseille opens a new chapter in the relationship between the Ivorian club’s development system and the European game.

The move therefore carries importance beyond Ouedraogo’s own career. It establishes a precedent for ASEC Mimosas’ women’s programme and could pave the way for other young Ivorian players who hope to reach the professional game overseas.