Mohammedan part ways with Souleymane Diabate

Mohammedan Sporting Club has decided not to renew the contract of club captain and prolific striker Souleymane Diabate for the upcoming season after the club refused to meet the Malian's wage demands. 

Diabate, who joined the club in the 2018–19 season, played a crucial role in Mohammedan's historic Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) title triumph earlier this year. The 34-year-old netted 19 goals in 16 matches, helping the Black and Whites clinch their maiden league title in the professional era, which began in 2007.

"We are not looking to sign Diabate for the upcoming season as we cannot meet his wage demands," Mohammedan manager Imtiaz Ahmed Nakib told The Daily Star on Thursday.

In place of Diabate, the club is close to securing the services of Ghanaian forward Samuel Boateng, who topped the BPL scoring chart last season with 21 goals for Rahmatganj MFS.

"We have almost completed the signing of Samuel Boateng," Nakib added, when asked about the club's new signings.

Diabate's departure marks the end of an era for Mohammedan. He served as the team's captain for several seasons and made 112 appearances in the BPL, scoring nearly 96 goals and providing 30 assists. He previously topped the top scorer's charts in the 2020–21 season with 21 goals and finished second behind Boateng this past season.

Diabate also starred in Mohammedan's 2023 Federation Cup triumph. In a dramatic final against archrivals Abahani in Cumilla, the Malian striker scored all four goals in a thrilling 4–4 draw before Mohammedan secured victory in a penalty shootout.

The decision not to retain him brings a close to one of the most impactful stints by a foreign player in the domestic league's recent history.