The agent representing Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr and Monaco's Lamine Camara has voiced strong criticism against football clubs, accusing them of failing to respect African players and their ambitions following missed deadline-day transfers.
Diomansy Kamara, a former professional player himself, expressed his frustration on Wednesday, stating that African players are sometimes viewed as mere commodities. He highlighted that their desires and career paths are often overlooked in transfer negotiations.
"We have to get out of this logic where the African player can sometimes give the feeling that he is just a commodity: you buy it, you set its price, you negotiate its future and, too often, your will seems to go to the background," Kamara posted on his Instagram story. "Our African players deserve respect. The respect of their work. The respect of their career. Respecting their ambitions. The respect of their voices."
Sarr had been linked with moves to Liverpool and Galatasaray but remained at Crystal Palace. Camara's potential transfer to Chelsea, which had reportedly been agreed upon for £47 million, collapsed at the last minute when Monaco withdrew from the deal. Chelsea sources described the situation as highly unprofessional.
Kamara emphasized that a transfer involves more than just club agreements and financial figures. "Behind every contract, there's a man, a career, dreams and life choices," he stated. He argued that players should have a greater say in decisions that shape their futures, asserting that "the player must be able to be heard and respected in the decisions that determine his future."