Mory Diaw joins Al-Shabab as Saudi club sign Senegal goalkeeper

Al-Shabab have signed Senegal international goalkeeper Mory Diaw on a one-year contract, with the option to extend the agreement for a further season.

Diaw joins the Saudi club from French side Le Havre, whom he represented during the previous campaign. His arrival makes him the sixth foreign player recruited by Al-Shabab during the current summer transfer window, according to Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiyah.

The 33-year-old is the second Senegalese player to join the Riyadh-based club this summer, following centre-back Mamadou Thierno Barry. Al-Shabab’s other overseas additions are Serbian defender Lazar Stojanovic, Croatian defender Tin Jedvaj, Colombian striker Roger Martinez and Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey.

Diaw turned 33 in June and stands 1.97m tall. He holds both French and Senegalese citizenship, having been born in France and having family origins in Senegal.

The goalkeeper began his development at French club Versailles before moving to Paris Saint-Germain. He progressed through the Parisian club’s system and was promoted to the first-team squad in 2014.

A year later, Diaw moved abroad to join Portuguese club Deportivo Mafra. In 2017, he transferred to Bulgarian side Lokomotiv Plovdiv, before continuing his career in Switzerland with Zurich United in February 2019.

His stay in Zurich was brief. Diaw moved to Lausanne during the summer of 2019 and spent the next three years there before returning to France, joining Clermont Foot.

He played for Clermont Foot for three seasons, including a loan spell with French club Rodez in 2025. After that temporary move, Diaw left Clermont and signed for Le Havre, his most recent club before completing his move to Al-Shabab.

At international level, Diaw chose to represent Senegal from 2022 onwards. He was included in Senegal’s squads for the past two editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, although he remained deputy to fellow goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who plays for Al Ahli Jeddah.

Diaw also featured during Senegal’s campaign at the most recent World Cup. When Mendy was injured against Norway in the second group-stage match, Diaw came on as a substitute and continued in goal for the remainder of Senegal’s tournament.

The goalkeeper stayed involved until Senegal’s run ended against Belgium in the last 32.

His move strengthens Al-Shabab’s squad with an experienced international goalkeeper who has played in France, Portugal, Bulgaria and Switzerland, while also adding another established overseas player to the club’s summer recruitment campaign.