As the winter transfer window approaches, coinciding with the Christmas break, there seems to be little change among the Senegal Lions playing in Europe. Unlike previous seasons, there is no significant indication of Senegalese players dominating the transfer market.
With the exception of Mbaye Niang, who is still undecided about his future selection and has joined Montpellier to revive his career gradually, no other Senegalese or dual-national players are prominently featured in departure or arrival talks.
Demba Bâ, who was long rumored to be joining Arsenal, clarified that there is no approach from Arsenal and expressed his reluctance to leave Chelsea, at least not this winter, despite limited playing time and tough competition.
Papis Demba Cissé from Newcastle, listed among the “transferables,” has not performed well this season and faces tough competition from French players in the team. Despite this, Newcastle’s high asking price for him aims to discourage potential buyers.
Mohamed Diamé, consistently linked to Liverpool, is struggling to confirm this trend with his on-field performances for West Ham.
Sadio Mané, in excellent form with Red Bull Salzburg, is attracting interest from many clubs but is likely to remain with his Austrian club until after the 2014 World Cup.
In France, little is expected to change during this transfer window for players like Djilobodji, Diawara, Idrissa Gana Guéye, Pape Ndiaye Souaré, Mame Birame, and Salif Sane, as the market is competitive but the Senegalese players seem to be in a relatively “small form” compared to the previous years when they had a more significant presence in top European leagues.
