Saliou Thioune has completed a loan move from fellow Belarusian side ML Vitebsk to Naftan Novopolotsk, joining the Vysheyshaya Liga club on a temporary deal starting on 2026-04-01 and running until 2026-12-31.
The 22-year-old centre-forward, who holds both Italian and Senegalese nationality, arrives at Naftan in a straight loan transfer, with ML Vitebsk retaining his registration and the move officially classified as an active loan. According to the latest data, Thioune’s market value stands at €200k, underlining Naftan’s decision to strengthen their attacking options with a player whose stock has risen steadily in recent seasons.
Thioune’s switch keeps him in the Belarusian top flight, moving within the Vysheyshaya Liga rather than returning to his home footballing structures in Italy or Senegal. The deal positions him to continue competing abroad, building on a career that has already taken him through youth and senior football in Italy, Switzerland, Malta, and now Belarus.
Contractually, Thioune remains tied to ML Vitebsk and is scheduled to return there at the end of his loan, with an upcoming transfer already logged as a return from previous loan on 2026-12-31. With no publicly listed contract expiry date beyond that, there is a longer-term possibility that the forward could approach free-agent status later in his career, depending on future negotiations and extensions, but at present he is fully contracted within the Belarusian system.
Born on 07 Feb 2004 and standing 1.79m tall, Thioune is a right-footed attacker whose main position is centre-forward. He progressed through the ranks at Cittadella in Italy, stepping up from Cittadella Youth to the Under-17s and then Cittadella Primavera, before securing a first move abroad to Yverdon Sport FC in Switzerland. Subsequent spells with FC Paradiso and FC Locarno in the Swiss system furthered his development, followed by a transfer to Maltese side Hamrun Spartans and, most recently, his move into Belarusian football with ML Vitebsk.
His market value history charts a clear upward curve: from €50k during his early days at Yverdon Sport, to €100k while at FC Paradiso, and then to €200k once established at Hamrun Spartans, a valuation that now carries into his time in Belarus. That trend reflects his growing reputation, even though official appearance numbers, goal tallies, and detailed seasonal statistics are not disclosed in the available data.
While exact match-by-match performance figures are not provided, Thioune’s rapid sequence of moves across leagues in Switzerland, Malta, and Belarus suggests regular involvement and a profile attractive enough for multiple clubs in different countries to invest in him. The current loan to Naftan gives him another platform in the Vysheyshaya Liga to showcase his attributes as a central striker.
For Naftan, the acquisition of a dual-nationality forward with experience in several European football cultures adds depth and tactical flexibility in attack. For Thioune, remaining abroad in Belarus rather than returning to clubs in Italy or Senegal underlines a career trajectory increasingly defined by international moves and adaptation to varied playing styles.
With the loan now confirmed and his return to ML Vitebsk already scheduled, the coming months at Naftan will be pivotal. Strong performances in the Vysheyshaya Liga could not only enhance his market value further but also shape the next phase of his career, whether that leads to a permanent transfer, a renewed contract in Belarus, or a future step into another league.
