Jean-Philippe Gbamin: CSKA Sofia complete free transfer for Ivorian-French centre-back from Metz

CSKA Sofia have completed the signing of Jean-Philippe Gbamin from FC Metz on a free transfer, with the deal officially registered to start on 2026-07-05. The 30-year-old centre-back arrives in Bulgaria with a current market value of 2.00m and becomes part of the efbet Liga clubs squad after leaving the Ligue 2 side at the end of his spell in France. Details on the length of his contract have not been disclosed, and no end date has been published.

The move takes Gbamin back abroad after a one-season stint at Metz, who brought him in from FC Zurich. His switch from the French club to CSKA Sofia is recorded as a standard, fee-free transfer, confirming that Metz receive no compensation despite the defenders multi-million valuation. The transfer also means CSKA Sofia add a player accustomed to top-flight environments in several European countries at no immediate cost.

Born in San-Pedro and holding dual Cote dIvoire and French nationality, Gbamin is listed primarily as a defender a right-footed centre-back and will wear the number 5 shirt for the Bulgarian side. CSKA Sofias registration data now records him as part of their squad, underlining that the deal is fully completed rather than speculative. With no contract expiry date yet indicated, it is not clear when he could next become a free agent.

Gbamins arrival in Sofia follows a period of frequent movement in his career. Since late 2023 he has passed through USL Dunkerque, FC Nantes, FC Zurich and Metz, rebuilding his trajectory after leaving Everton and a subsequent spell without a club. The switch to CSKA Sofia places him once again outside France, in a league where he has not previously competed, having earlier experienced top-flight football in Germany, England, Russia, Turkiye, Switzerland and France.

His transfer history charts a long route through European football. After emerging from the RC Lens youth ranks and progressing via Lens U17 and the B team, he broke into the senior side before moving to 1. FSV Mainz 05. A major step came with his move from Mainz to Everton FC, followed by loans to CSKA Moscow and Trabzonspor. A short period as a free agent preceded his return to French football with Dunkerque and later Nantes and Metz, with a brief stop in Zurich in between.

Gbamins market value has fluctuated significantly across his career, peaking at 30.00m during his time at Mainz and Everton before gradually dropping to its current 2.00m level in his thirties. This trajectory underlines the scale of experience CSKA Sofia are acquiring at no transfer fee, even if the financial expectations around the player have changed since his Bundesliga and Premier League years.

No recent match details or current-season statistics for Gbamins performances at Metz or his other recent clubs are provided in the available data, and there are no official numbers yet for his appearances or contributions in Bulgaria. As a result, his on-field impact at CSKA Sofia will only become clear once he begins to feature in competitive fixtures in the efbet Liga.

What is certain is that the confirmed free transfer gives the Ivorian-French defender another opportunity to establish himself in a new country and competition. If he can translate his experience from France, Germany, England, Russia, Turkiye and Switzerland into consistent performances in Bulgaria, the move to CSKA Sofia has the potential to stabilise his later career and reinforce his reputation as a seasoned, versatile centre-back on the European stage.