Stellenbosch FC winger set for Qatar club medicals

Despite coach Steve Barker insisting this week the side from The Winelands would be keeping their key players following the sale of captain Deano van Rooyen to Orlando Pirates and striker Iqraam Rayners joining Mamelodi Sundowns, another transfer is on the cards.

Oura joined Stellies at the start of last season and made an instant impact, managing a total 35 appearances and scoring eight goals to help the club finish in third place on the log table.

The Cote d’Ivoire international missed three successive games recently, including the two MTN8 semi-final fixtures against Sundowns, which Stellies won to set up a final against Pirates next month.

It has then since emerged that the 24-year-old is in advanced talks with an as yet unnamed club in Qatar with a move imminent.

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This was confirmed by Stellenbosch FC chief executive Rob Benadie, when approached for comment by the public broadcaster.

“He is doing medicals, so the deal is not finalised yet,” said Benadie.

Speaking at the launch of the Betway Premiership this week, Barker suggested he’d been given assurances no more players would be leaving.

But his response was more to a question directly about defenders Ismael Touré and Fawaaz Basadien as well as midfielder Jayden Adams.

All three were being courted by their Premier Soccer League rivals.

“I have to be confident [in keeping the players]. We have lost some key players as it is but at the same time we have also signed some really good key players, so I think it will balance in a way, players leaving and coming,” the coach explained.

Barker said the plan was to add “one or two more” instead of selling, but Oura now appears likely to move with talks in Qatar at an advanced stage.