World football governing body Fifa has given striker Abubakar Nasser’s transfer from Ethiopia Coffee FC to Mamelodi Sundowns a seal of approval, ending weeks of suspense on the highly rated forward.
Ethiopia Football Federation (EFF) confirmed on Monday that FIFA had issued the striker an international transfer certificate (ICT), whose non-availability prevented Mamelodi Sundowns coaches from selecting the star in the season’s opener against Cape Town City Friday.
“Ethiopia’s national team striker Abubakar Nasser has received FIFA’s ITC confirmation today stating that he has permanently moved to South African club Mamelodi Sundowns,” EFF tweeted.
The availability of the ICT means that Sundowns can now feature their prized asset in the forthcoming DStv Premiership matches. The holders started the season with an impressive 2-0 win over City.
The Tshwane side will now add more firepower with the availability of Nassir, who will join the likes of Kermit Erasmus and Peter Shalulile in attack.
The Ethiopian international joins Sundowns
The Ethiopian international joined Sundowns last month, soon after featuring in Coffee’s 1-0 loss to Arba Minch City in an Ethiopian Premier League farewell match on June 24 2022.
Before that game, last season’s Most Valuable Player Nassir got a guard of honour celebrating his final match in the Ethiopian league.
He emerged from the tunnel to a guard of honour from his teammates, who wore T-shirts wishing him good luck.
The talented frontman made a name for himself since joining Coffee in July 2019 with a string of important goals.
The 21-year-old lethal striker has netted 36 goals in 47 Premier League appearances in the last two campaigns for Coffee.
He was voted last season’s Most Valuable Player and top scorer in the Ethiopian Premier League. Nassir is a regular for the Ethiopian national team and played at the delayed 2021 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon.
He has also started the 2023 AFCON qualifying campaign impressively after scoring in the famous 2-0 win over Egypt in June this year.
RELATED ARTICLE: How Sundowns’ new Ethiopian striker fared this season
