The summer transfer window is approaching its conclusion, but many of the most significant deals were completed before the final days. Former Mali captain Cedric Kante, now a consultant for Canal+, has reviewed five transfers involving Carlos Baleba, Ousmane Diomande, Mamadou Sangare, Omar Marmoush and Fiston Mayele.
Cameroon midfielder Baleba had been linked with a move away from Brighton for several months before Manchester United completed his signing. The 22-year-old, who has won 16 international caps, has agreed a five-year contract with the Red Devils.
Manchester United paid Brighton a transfer fee of 80m euros for the player. Baleba’s departure therefore represents one of the most substantial deals among the five transfers assessed by Kante.
Ivorian central defender Ousmane Diomande has also made a major move within English football. The 22-year-old, who has played 15 times for Cote d’Ivoire, left Sporting Lisbonne to join Nottingham Forest.
Diomande has signed an agreement with Nottingham Forest that runs until 30 June 2030. The club, which won the European Cup in 1979 and 1980, paid 40m euros to Sporting Lisbonne for a defender who had established himself in Portugal and attracted considerable appreciation in England.
Kante also considered the transfer of Mali midfielder Mamadou Sangare to Brentford. Sangare spent only one season at Lens, but it was a highly successful campaign, ending with victory in the Coupe de France and a second-place finish in Ligue 1.
Those achievements were enough to persuade Brentford to invest 48m euros to bring the 22-year-old to the Premier League. Sangare has won 16 caps for Mali and is another of the young players whose transfer has featured prominently in Kante’s selection.
Omar Marmoush’s move is different in nature. Manchester City signed the Egypt striker from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2024, but he did not manage to establish himself with the Citizens.
Marmoush will spend the rest of the season on loan at Tottenham. The London club are also seeking a recovery after a particularly difficult 2025/26 campaign, making the temporary move an important change of direction for the player and his new side.
The fifth transfer examined by Kante involves Fiston Mayele. The Democratic Republic of the Congo striker joined Libyan club Al Ahli after a successful spell with Pyramids FC, where he won the Champions League in 2025.
Mayele, 32, has made 38 appearances for his country and arrived at Al Ahli as a free agent. His two-year contract in Libya will earn him 8.6m, excluding bonuses, during his time in Tripoli.
Kante’s five selections cover permanent transfers, a loan move and a free transfer, with the deals involving clubs in England, France, Portugal, Egypt and Libya. The former Mali international gave his assessment of each move as the summer window moved towards its close.