By Boris Esono Nwenfor
BUEA, January 22, 2024 – Cameroon international Faris Moumbagna has joined French Ligue 1 club Olympique Marseille from FK Bodø/Glimt. The 24-year-old has signed a deal until June 2028 worth 8 million euros. Currently with the Indomitable Lions in Ivory Coast, Faris will join his new teammates after the AFCON 2023 finals.
Faris has featured three times for the Indomitable Lions in all competitions but made his AFCON debut for Cameroon in his side’s 1-1 draw against Guinea at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium. He was not called up for Cameroon’s loss against Senegal. With a crucial game against the Gambia, Faris Pemi will be racing to go and will hope coach Rigobert Song calls upon him against the Scorpions.
Moumbagna had been impressive since joining the club from Kristiansund and had scored 15 goals in 28 games for his team. This season, Moumbagna has scored 6 goals in 12 games. It is an impressive rise for the young player who only joined Bodo/Glimt last summer.
Wrapping up a deal so quickly has been a major deal for the French club, who finished 3rd in Ligue 1 last season. Marseille’s form has been mixed so far this season, as the club currently sits in 7th place in the league table, chasing European qualification after 18 games.
“Join us in congratulating Faris Pemi Moumbagna, standout Rainbow alumni, on his recent move to French Ligue 1 side Olympique de Marseille for a transfer fee of 8 million euros,” said Rainbow Sports Global.
“This is a momentous achievement that fills us with pride. Discovered at the age of 16 in Yaoundé, in 2016, Pemi joined Rainbow FC and journeyed through the Rainbow Way, shaping him into a world-class striker and earning him a well-deserved spot at OM. Best of luck to Pemi as he embarks on this exciting new chapter in his career.”
“Breaking boundaries! Congrats to Faris Pemi Moumbagna on securing a wonderful move to Olympique de Marseille,” James Woods, former Diplomat to the EU and an African Affairs consultant part of the Rainbow network wrote on LinkedIn.
Moumbagna is expected to add to the already impressive list of strikers at the club, which includes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Vitinha, Iliman Ndiaye and Joaquín Correa, though apart from Aubameyang, none of them has had satisfactory on-the-pitch outputs since joining. Last season, the 23-year-old had scored 15 goals and given out eight assists, ending the season as the joint-third top goal contributor in the league, ahead of Montpellier star Akor Adams.
