Jean-Morel Poé has completed a move to Kazakh club Irtysh Pavlodar, ending his spell as a free agent and opening a new chapter in the Premier Liga. The 29-year-old right winger joins Irtysh on a free transfer from “Without Club,” with the switch officially registered to begin on 2026-03-05. His contract with the Kazakh side is scheduled to run until 2027-12-31.
The Ivorian attacker arrives with a current market value of €200k and long experience across several countries, giving Irtysh a proven wide option as they look to strengthen their attacking department. The deal involves no transfer fee, a consequence of Poé’s status without a club following his departure from Greek side POT Iraklis Thessaloniki in 2025.
Poé, a left-footed right winger, is expected to operate primarily on the right flank of the attack for Irtysh. Born in Abidjan and standing 1.84m tall, he brings a blend of physical presence and technical ability to the wing. His move means he will again be playing abroad, this time in Kazakhstan’s top flight, rather than in his home country of Côte d’Ivoire.
The new signing extends a career that has taken Poé through a variety of leagues and footballing environments. After emerging from ASEC Mimosas in Côte d’Ivoire, he first moved to Europe with Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino in Belarus, initially on loan and later permanently. Spells at Neman Grodno and Dinamo Minsk in the Belarusian top division followed, where his performances helped push his market value up to €500k by late 2021.
In 2022 he switched to Egyptian side Ismaily SC before heading on loan, and later permanently, to Kryvbas Kryvyi Rig in Ukraine, gaining experience in another competitive league. His time in Ukraine saw fluctuations in his market value, dropping to €150k and then recovering to €500k by late 2024, underlining both the challenges and resilience in his career trajectory. A move to POT Iraklis Thessaloniki in Greece in early 2025 preceded a brief period without a club later that year.
The transfer to Irtysh now offers stability and a fresh stage. Kazakhstan’s Premier Liga gives Poé the platform to reassert his value, with Irtysh betting on his experience across Belarus, Egypt, Ukraine and Greece translating into immediate impact in their domestic campaign. With no appearance or goal data yet for his new club, all statistical judgment on his Irtysh spell remains ahead of him, but his track record of adapting to multiple leagues suggests he is equipped for the challenge.
For Irtysh, securing a free agent of his profile is a low-risk, potentially high-reward move. For Poé, the contract running until 2027-12-31 provides a clear window to rebuild momentum, enhance his reputation in another foreign championship, and possibly position himself for one more major step later in his career.
