Foreign players set to leave Algeria

Ghislain Guessan is hoping to secure a move to Europe

After he was dropped by, Nantes, his boyhood club, Franco-Ivorian striker Ghislain Guessan floundered in the French and Italian lower leagues.

As it became apparent that European clubs were no longer willing to wager on the 23 year-old target-man, he decided to try his hand in Algeria.

The North African league has long proved fertile ground for journeymen or prodigious sub-Saharan talents looking to make a name for themselves and eventually play in Europe.

In 2014 he signed for RC Arbaa and has made a success of the move – this season he has scored 10 goals and made one assist.

Yet as the the current campaign comes to a close, Guessan and 20 other foreign players around Algeria are preparing their respective departures as a new law will force a footballing exodus of sorts.

On 25 July, 2015, the Federation of Algerian Football issued a statement announcing that, effective June 2016, it would implement a law stipulating that foreign players could no longer come to Algeria to play in the professional leagues.

“I did not believe it at first, as every professional league has foreigners and that improves the quality of football,” said Guessan.

However, the president of the FAF, Mohamed Raouraoua, rationalised the decision by questioning Algerian clubs’ recruitment record.

“Forty-six percent of the 28 foreign players have played less than half of the season,” he stated.

“The idea …

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