Esperance Sportive de Tunis are close to completing a deal for 19-year-old Ivorian striker Namori Keita, with the club having reached an agreement with Racing Abidjan’s young forward.
According to information available to WinWin, the Tunisian club has agreed terms with Keita, although the transfer has not yet been officially announced. The remaining steps include a medical examination, contract formalities and other administrative procedures.
Keita has emerged as one of the young attacking talents in Ivorian football and has already gained international experience with the country’s youth teams.
The striker developed through the ranks at Racing Abidjan, a club known for producing young players in Ivory Coast. He has since progressed to the first team and has also represented the Ivory Coast at under-20 level.
His performances at the West African Football Union (WAFU) U-20 Championship helped increase his profile. The competition also served as a qualifier for the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.
Keita scored during Ivory Coast’s 5-0 victory over Benin before finding the net again against Niger. His goals helped his side finish at the top of Group A with six points.
The striker continued his scoring form in the semi-final against Nigeria, where he scored both of Ivory Coast’s goals.
Keita opened the scoring in the 17th minute before finding the net again in the 105th minute. The match finished 2-2 before Nigeria eventually secured qualification through a penalty shoot-out.
Those performances have contributed to the interest in the teenager, who remains at an early stage of his professional career.
Born on 2 June 2007, Keita operates as a striker and has spent much of his development at Racing Abidjan. His experience with the club’s senior side, combined with his appearances for the Ivory Coast under-20 team, has made him an attractive prospect for Esperance.
The Tunisian club’s move for Keita is part of its continued search for young talent from across Africa.
Esperance have identified the player’s age and international experience as factors that could make him a useful addition to their squad. His development at Racing Abidjan has also given him experience in domestic football before a possible move to Tunisia.
His age is another factor in the proposed transfer. Sources following the deal say Keita’s age allows Esperance to benefit from him within the category of young players under regulations governing the recruitment of foreign players below the legal age.
However, the transfer remains subject to the completion of the final procedures.
Keita is expected to undergo a medical examination before the contract can be signed and the remaining administrative requirements completed. Until those steps are concluded, Esperance’s agreement with the player does not constitute a fully completed official transfer.
The proposed move comes as Esperance continue to reshape their squad during the summer transfer window, with particular attention being paid to their attacking options.
The club are preparing for the Tunisian League and African Champions League campaigns and hope the addition of Keita can provide another young option in attack.
For Keita, a move to Esperance would represent an important step in his developing career. At 19, he would arrive with considerable room to improve and gain experience while playing for one of Africa’s established clubs.
Esperance’s management will now look to complete the medical and administrative procedures before formally confirming the signing.
Until then, the deal remains in its final stages, with the club having already reached an agreement with the Ivorian striker.
