Kevin Mbabu brings top-flight experience to Sampdoria in Serie B switch

Swiss defender Kevin Mbabu has joined Sampdoria from Danish club Midtjylland on a free transfer, giving the Serie B side an experienced right-back for the new campaign.

The 31-year-old has signed a contract with Sampdoria until 30 June 2028. Mbabu, who can also represent DR Congo, moves to Italy after two seasons with Midtjylland and becomes part of a squad competing in Italy’s second tier.

Mbabu spent the 2025-26 season with Midtjylland, helping the club win the Danish Cup. He arrived in Denmark in August 2024 from Fulham, also on a free transfer, having returned to England after a loan spell with Augsburg.

The right-back joined Augsburg from Fulham on loan in September 2023 and made the move back to Fulham permanent in June 2024 as the temporary arrangement ended. His time in Germany followed a spell at Fulham that began with his transfer from Wolfsburg in July 2022 for €5.5m.

Mbabu had moved to Wolfsburg from Swiss side Young Boys in 2019 for €9.2m, after winning two Swiss league titles with the club in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. His earlier career also included spells with Newcastle United, Rangers and Servette.

He developed at Servette before joining Newcastle in January 2013 for €1m. Mbabu later spent time on loan at Rangers and Young Boys, with the latter becoming his permanent club in 2017. At Young Boys, he established himself as a regular right-back and later earned recognition as Switzerland’s TM-Player of the Season in 2019.

Across his recorded league career, Mbabu has made 94 appearances in Switzerland’s Super League, 91 in the Bundesliga and 33 in Denmark’s Superliga. He has scored three goals in both the Super League and Bundesliga, while also registering 15 assists in Switzerland’s top flight.

Standing 1.84m tall and favouring his right foot, Mbabu adds a specialist option on the right side of Sampdoria’s defence. His arrival also continues a career that has taken him through Switzerland, England, Scotland, Germany and Denmark.

Mbabu’s move from Midtjylland to Sampdoria was completed as a free transfer on 31 August 2026, with his new contract running until June 2028.