Gaoussou Diarra completes astronomical rise with transfer to Feyenoord

In modern football, there is always an opportunity with scouts watching every league and Malian forward Gaoussou Diarra is proof of this after completing a massive transfer on Friday from the obscurity of the Turkish second division to Dutch giants Feyenoord.

 

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The 22-year-old Malian attacker moves to the Dutch Eredivise third place finishers from Turkish 1. Lig side İstanbulspor AS for a reported fee of €3.8 million. The transfer, a huge step forward in the career of the Bamako native, comes only a year after Diarra failed to get on the pitch for another 1. Lig side, Beykoz Anadolu.

But a move to İstanbulspor ahead of the 2024-25 season accelerated the Malian’s rise and now there is a possibility that he will be playing in the UEFA Champions League next season. Diarra scored 15 goals and provided 2 assists in 34 appearances for İstanbulspor as they finished 4th place in the Turkish second tier before falling in the quarterfinals of the promotion playoffs.

Now Diarra will get the chance to compete for a spot in the Feyenoord squad on a stage that must have been difficult to imagine for the Malian winger. Diarra thrived mostly in a role on the left wing for İstanbulspor where he excels at attacking defenders on the dribble and finishing with his preferred right foot.

Diarra also experienced another milestone during the 2024-25 season…his debut for the Mali national team. He came on as a substitute for Les Aigles in their 0-1 friendly defeat to DR Congo on June 5, playing the final half hour for an opportunity to impress Mali coach Tom Saintfiet.

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