Al-Etisalat secure Mali striker Lassana N’Diaye after Handren SC spell

Al-Etisalat SC have completed the signing of Mali centre-forward Lassana N’Diaye from Handren SC, adding the 25-year-old attacker to their squad.

N’Diaye made the move on 12 August 2026 after spending the opening part of the 2025-26 season with Handren. He had joined the Iraqi club on 1 January 2026 after a period without a club.

The Bamako-born forward began his senior career with CSKA Moscow after moving from Mali side Guidars FC in October 2018. That transfer followed his emergence in youth football, and he later spent time away from the Russian club on loan.

N’Diaye had temporary spells with AFC Eskilstuna in Sweden, Veles Moscow and Tekstilshchik before returning to CSKA Moscow in 2022. He then joined Arda Kardzhali on loan, before leaving CSKA permanently for Radnicki Nis in September 2023.

His move to Radnicki was followed by free transfers to Botev Vratsa in Bulgaria in January 2024 and Kapaz PFK in Azerbaijan later that year. N’Diaye joined Al-Mesaimeer in Qatar from Kapaz in January 2025, also on a free transfer, before departing in July and subsequently signing for Handren.

The left-footed striker has played in a range of competitions during his career, including Bulgaria’s efbet Liga, Serbia’s top division, Azerbaijan’s Premyer Liqa, Qatar’s Second Division and Sweden’s Superettan. His record in the efbet Liga stands at nine goals and two assists from 44 appearances, while he scored four times and provided one assist in 25 appearances in the 1.Division.

N’Diaye also has a record of success with Mali’s youth teams. He was part of the Mali Under-17 side that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2017 and helped the country’s Under-20 team claim the same title in 2019.

At club level, he won the Russian Under-19 Championship with CSKA Moscow II during the 2018-19 season. The striker now continues his career in Iraq with Al-Etisalat SC, completing his move from Handren.