Sofiane Boufal joins Al-Ittihad Tripoli in high-profile African move

This update focuses on Sofiane Boufal joins Al-Ittihad Tripoli. At 32, Moroccan international Sofiane Boufal has opened a new chapter by signing for Al-Ittihad Tripoli in Libya, a move reportedly backed by one of the biggest salaries on the African continent.

Sofiane Boufal joins Al-Ittihad Tripoli for a fresh career turn

After leaving Le Havre as a free agent, Sofiane Boufal has found his next club with a switch to Al-Ittihad Tripoli. It is the first time the Atlas Lion will play for a team based on African soil.

The decision is surprising given his career path, largely built in Europe and the Middle East. It marks a turning point for a player who has featured in Spain and Ligue 1 and who was still competing in the French top flight last season.

In his final season with Le Havre, Boufal played 17 Ligue 1 games, scoring once and providing four assists. These figures showed he could still influence matches at a good level.

A reported XXL salary in Libyan football

According to several reports, Sofiane Boufal joins Al-Ittihad Tripoli on a deal worth around 5 million US dollars per season, roughly 4.3 million euros. If confirmed, this would place the Moroccan international among the highest earners currently playing in Africa.

This level of pay underlines the new ambitions of some Libyan clubs, who are now targeting established names to speed up their growth and raise their profile in the region.

Boufal’s arrival at Al-Ittihad Tripoli fits this strategy. The club, like local rival Al-Ahli Tripoli, wants to attract headline players and send a clear signal about its ambitions.

Choice made after European options

The move that sees Sofiane Boufal join Al-Ittihad Tripoli comes after several rumours of a return to Europe. In recent weeks, a comeback in Spain was mentioned, while French side Metz was also reported to be interested.

The player had also hoped to fight his way back into the Atlas Lions squad for a major upcoming tournament but was ultimately not selected. That situation may have weighed on his thinking about the next step in his career.

By heading to Libya, Boufal opts for a project where he arrives as a marquee signing, supported by significant financial means and a likely central role on the pitch.

Libyan clubs stepping up their ambitions

Boufal’s signing comes as Tripoli’s leading clubs are stepping up their ambitions. Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad are trying to establish themselves as key players in North African football by investing more aggressively.

Their strategy is built on several pillars:

• offering competitive wages to established internationals;
• raising the overall standard of the league by recruiting technical profiles;
• seeking better results in regional and continental competitions.

For Moroccan fans abroad, this transfer adds a new league and a new city to follow. Libya is geographically close to Morocco, and this move places a familiar face in a developing championship that is trying to gain credibility.

Time will tell whether this high-profile African move pays off, both on and off the pitch, for one of the most creative talents to wear Morocco’s colours over the past decade.

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