Faycal Konate has completed a permanent move from Latvian side RFS to Czech club Karvina in a deal worth €700k, signing a contract that runs from 2026-02-05 to 2026-06-30. The 19-year-old Burkina Faso centre-forward leaves the Virsliga for a new challenge in the Czech system, with Karvina securing one of the more highly regarded young attacking prospects to emerge from West Africa in recent seasons.
The transfer represents a significant outlay for Karvina when set against Konate’s current market valuation of €150k, underlining the Czech club’s belief in his long‑term potential. The move also confirms Konate’s status as a fully-fledged expatriate professional: after starting his career in Burkina Faso, he will now continue abroad in the Czech Republic, where Karvina compete within the domestic pyramid linked to the Chance Liga structure.
Konate arrives in Karvina from RFS after a whirlwind period in his early career. Standing at 1.97m, he operates primarily as a centre-forward, offering a physical presence at the tip of the attack. The Burkinabè striker was on the books of Salitas Football School in his homeland before a loan spell at Rail Club du Kadiogo, then made the switch to Europe with RFS at the start of the 2024/25 season. A subsequent loan to BFC Daugavpils, and a return to RFS, preceded this latest transfer to the Czech club.
His progression has been mirrored in his valuation: Transfermarkt data shows his market value at €150k as of late 2025, a figure notably below the €700k Karvina have now paid. That gap highlights both the premium attached to securing young attacking talent and the Czech side’s confidence that Konate can grow well beyond his current rating.
The move also marks another step in the outward flow of talent from Burkina Faso. Konate, born on 15 Aug 2006, leaves behind the domestic Burkinabè scene he first emerged from with Salitas and Kadiogo, transitioning from local academies to professional environments in Latvia and now the Czech Republic. His pathway — Salitas Football School, Rail Club du Kadiogo, RFS, BFC Daugavpils and now Karvina — illustrates a rapid, cross‑border rise for a teenager who only recently made the jump to European football.
With no contract expiry previously recorded at RFS in the data, this completed move also avoids any near‑term scenario of him becoming a free agent, instead tying him down to Karvina for the duration of his new deal. For the Czech club, securing a tall, 19‑year‑old centre-forward on a long contract offers both sporting and potential resale value in the coming years. For Konate, the switch to Karvina and the Chance Liga environment provides a fresh platform to develop his reputation in European football and to strengthen his case for future opportunities at both club and international level.
