The spotlight during the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire has shone brightly on the players of the Mauritanian national team, following their historic qualification for the tournament’s knockout stage for the first time in their third-ever appearance.
Several players have received offers from European, Arab, and African clubs after their exit from the round of 16, courtesy of Cape Verde.
Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca successfully secured the services of Mauritanian playmaker Sidi Bonah Oumar, who scored Mauritania’s first goal in the AFCON through his agency on the field.
He signed a three-year contract with a monthly salary of up to $16,000, according to local sports sources close to his club, FC Nouadhibou.
Ahmed Lemam, a sports journalist close to the players, confirmed to Sky News Arabia that some players have received offers from various clubs after their standout performances in the AFCON.
Lemam highlighted the interest in Mauritanian star Aboubacar Konté, a player for Sint-Truiden in Belgium and one of the top scorers in the league this season, who has received offers from Porto in Portugal and Hamburg in Germany.
Additionally, defender Ibrahim Kéita, who impressed with TP Mazembe in Congo, has attracted interest from European clubs.
Midfield maestro Mahsen Bodeh from FC Nouadhibou has also received offers from Tunisian, Egyptian, Tanzanian, Qatari, and Saudi clubs.
Meanwhile, left-back Khadim Diaw of Al Hilal in Sudan has received offers from Tunisia’s Esperance and Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca, as well as some second-tier French clubs.
Amidst the keen interest from several African national teams in coach Amir Abdou’s services, Lemam expects Abdou to renew his contract with Mauritania, which expires next month, noting that “the football environment in Mauritania suits Amir Abdou.”
Amir Abdou has been coaching the Mourabitounes since March 2022, achieving unprecedented success in Mauritanian football history by qualifying for the second round in the 2023 African Nations Championship in Algeria and the ongoing AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire.
Upon his return from Abidjan last week with the national team delegation, Mauritanians greeted Amir Abdou with celebrations, urging him to stay and renew his contract.
Amir Abdou called up 27 players to participate in the AFCON, and at the time, the market value of the squad was €8.95 million, according to Transfermarkt, the global platform specialized in player prices and market values.
However, the market value of the national team is expected to increase significantly, especially after several players moved to larger clubs, according to sports journalist Sheikh Ould Sidi Mouktar.
Mauritania began their AFCON campaign with a 1-0 loss to Burkina Faso and a defeat to Angola.
However, they secured their first-ever victory in the tournament against Algeria in the final group stage match, thus advancing to the knockout stage.
In previous editions, Mauritania failed to secure any victories, exiting the 2022 tournament with losses to Gambia and Mali and the 2019 tournament with a defeat to Mali and draws against Tunisia and Angola.
