Togolese international Arafat Djako has secured a new professional base after his team, Anzhi Makhachkala, failed to qualify for league and European competitions. Despite the financial aspect, Djako sought more than just a salary in Dagestan. Consequently, he has inked a two-year deal with Azerbaijani club Inter Baku, as confirmed by his agent Balikou Nibombé.
Nibombé revealed, “Arafat signed on Monday for Inter Baku, a top Azerbaijani club. We have reached a tripartite agreement with Anzhi so that the player is released from his last year of the contract.” Djako and his agent turned down offers from Hertha Berlin and Dynamo Dresden in Germany, citing unfavorable conditions.
Having been loaned to clubs in Turkey and Qatar in recent seasons, Djako sees his move to Inter Baku as an opportunity to showcase his talent and swiftly return to the national team. After months of absence from the Eperviers, Djako was called up for the Burkina Faso-Togo friendly match in Paris on August 15. The striker expressed relief at the move, saying, “Since I wasn’t playing at Anzhi, it was important to look for another base. I had a good salary but I didn’t want to just settle for that. I am delighted to join Inter.”
Djako, formerly with Maranatha de Fiokpo (Togo’s first-division club) and having played for Gaziantespor in Turkey and Bnei Shaknin in Israel, wasted no time integrating into the new team. As Inter Baku is on training in Georgia during a break in the championship, Djako aims to quickly bond with his teammates before making an impact on the field.
