PETALING JAYA: Freeze, all rivals of Negri Sembilan! The Deer are unleashing a new attacking weapon with a deadly nickname of “AK47”.
Mauritanian international striker Aboubakar Kamara will get his first shot with Negri today as he makes his Super League debut against Sabah at the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Stadium in Paroi.
The 31-year-old’s catchy moniker is a nod to his initials and jersey number during his time with English club Fulham.
With Negri, however, Kamara will be donning jersey No. 11.
He joined Negeri as a free agent, with the move confirmed last Wednesday. He is also eligible to play immediately.
Under FIFA regulations on the status and transfer of players, a free agent is a player whose previous contract has expired or been validly terminated, allowing him to sign with a new club without a transfer fee.
Kamara is looking forward to a new footballing adventure in Malaysia.
“This is a new country for me, but I believe that football culture is the same everywhere. I’ve travelled around the world because of football, and now I’m very excited about this new chapter,’’ said Kamara.
‘’I hope to utilise my knowledge and experience in the game and adapt as quickly as I can. I’m getting to know the players and coaches, and they’ve all welcomed me on board.’’
Born on March 7, 1995, in Gonesse, France, Kamara, who stands 1.78m, is a key member of the Mauritanian team, with eight goals in 26 appearances.
He began his professional career with Monaco before making a significant impact at Amiens, helping them earn promotion to Ligue 1.
His performances earned him a move to Fulham, where he played in the English Premier League.
His European experience also included spells with Greek Super League sides Aris Thessaloniki and Olympiacos, and Turkey’s Yeni Malatyaspor.
He later moved to Asia, representing Al-Jazira in the UAE Pro League and Sepahan in Iran, before heading to Southeast Asia where he featured for Thai club Kanchanaburi Power.
Negri coach Daniel Gimenez is keen to see Kamara in action, but admitted that he still has ground to cover after joining midway through the season.
“It’s a bit into the middle of the season and he did not work pre-season with us. So tactically and physically, he is far from the other players,’’ said Gimenez.
‘’But a few sessions into training, you can see his eagerness to adapt and his understanding of how we want to play football. That shows his quality as a player,” said Gimenez.
