Libya’s Al-Ittihad club has definitively finalized its contracts with the Moroccan Wydad Athletic Club duo, Burkinabé Stéphane Aziz Ki and South African winger Thembinkosi Lorch, in one of the strongest deals of the current transfer market. The official announcement is expected in the coming hours or days after the completion of the final administrative formalities.
According to informed sources, Al-Ittihad’s management has reached a complete and final agreement with Wydad Club and the players, both regarding financial details and contract durations, thus concluding all chapters of the negotiations which saw push and pull in the recent period.
Signing Stéphane Aziz Ki is considered a major gain for Al-Ittihad, given the player’s African experience and high ability to lead the midfield, both in terms of ball recovery and playmaking and chance creation, in addition to his physical presence and character on the field.
As for Thembinkosi Lorch, he represents a qualitative attacking addition, thanks to his speed, individual skills, and his ability to make the difference in major confrontations. The technical staff is counting on him to provide the team with diverse attacking solutions on the wings.
Finalizing the two deals confirms that Al-Ittihad is proceeding according to a clear technical project, aimed at building a team capable of competing strongly for all titles and not settling for secondary roles. These moves also reflect the great seriousness of the club’s management in providing all the requirements for success to the technical staff.
Signing players of the caliber of Aziz Ki and Lorch is viewed as a direct message to competitors, meaning that Al-Ittihad is determined to enter the race for championships with strength, benefiting from ready-made African expertise capable of making an immediate impact.
Despite the definitive finalization of the two deals, the concerned parties preferred to postpone the official announcement until the completion of some usual regulatory procedures, before unveiling the players officially through the club’s media channels.
The two players are expected to join the team’s training immediately after the announcement, in preparation for starting the integration phase with the group, amid great fan anticipation to see the new signings in the Al-Ittihad jersey.
It is not unlikely that the Aziz Ki and Lorch deals are part of a series of other signings planned by Al-Ittihad, given the clear desire to strengthen the team with the best possible elements, in line with the club’s and its fans’ ambitions.
Between the definitive finalization and the wait for the official announcement, it appears that Al-Ittihad has firmly stepped into the transfer market, confirming that the next stage will be different on all levels.
