Cheikhou Kouyaté reveals more on decision to part ways with Amedspor

A few weeks after parting ways with Turkish second division club Amedspor, Senegal midfielder Cheikhou Kouyaté has come out to explain what prompted his decision to leave the club.

In an official statement, Amedspor confirmed the separation: “Our club has agreed to terminate the contract of our professional footballer Cheikhou Kouyaté by mutual agreement.

“We thank Kouyaté for his efforts at our club and wish him success in the next stage of his career.”

Kulübümüz, profesyonel futbolcumuz Cheikhou Kouyate ile karşılıklı anlaşarak sözleşmesini sona erdirmiştir.

Cheikhou Kouyate’nin kulübümüze verdiği emekler için teşekkür ediyor, kariyerinin bundan sonraki döneminde başarılar diliyoruz. pic.twitter.com/D7VDGiaoGe

— Amedspor (@amedskofficial) January 27, 2026

The 2025 African champion had only played 114 minutes in eight matches for Amedspor, with just one start – playing time he deemed insufficient.

Kouyaté was in Senegal squad for 2025 AFCON

“There are things I don’t accept. Maybe others can adapt to certain situations, but for me, if there’s no respect, it’s better to part ways,” Kouyaté told SporElles in an interview.

“It’s very difficult when you leave a top league to arrive in Turkey. There’s a big difference.”

Asked whether he will return to play in Senegal local league, he said: “Yeggo was my club, but currently they are not in the Pro League. We will consider the possibility of playing three to six months in that league.”

Kouyaté made his debut for the Senegal senior team as a 56th-minute substitute for Mohamed Diamé in a 0-0 friendly draw away to South Africa. At the time, he had been in the process of naturalisation as a Belgian citizen, and had been linked to the European country’s national team.

In the same year, he was announced to be in the squad for Senegal Olympic football team. He played in every game as Senegal’s debut appearance in the tournament, which ended in a knockout in the quarterfinal.

In 2015, he was a member of the squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, held in Equatorial Guinea. He scored his first international goal on 5 September in 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification, in a 2-0 win away to Namibia.

The 36-year-old was part of the Senegal squad that won their second AFCON title in Morocco after defeating the hosts 1-0 in the final.

He has also played for Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and West Ham United in the Premier League.