Dampha joins Nancy

Gambia international Abdourahman Dampha has decided to join French Ligue 1 side AS Nancy on a free transfer after leaving bankrupted Swiss Super League side Neuchâtel Xamax, Gambia Sports Online can reveal.

The 20-year-old Gambian midfielder decided to join the French side on a two-year-contract, a deal that will see him stay at the team until June 2014. It is believed that Dampha was signed as a potential replacement for the AC Milan-bound Bakaye Traoré and on-loan Queens Park Rangers midfielder Samba Diakité.

The club released a statement on its official websites stating, “After three weeks of conclusive trial, defensive midfielder Abdourahman Dampha has signed a two-year professional contract with us. Free from the bankruptcy of Neuchâtel Xamax, the 20-year-old Gambia international is the first player we are recruiting for the 2012/2013 season in Nancy.”

Nancy currently lie 11th in the 20-team French Ligue 1 table with 45 points and on Sunday collected their first win over Ebrima Bojang’s AS Saint-Étienne since a 2-2 draw on April 15th against FC Girondins de Bordeaux.

Abdourahman Dampha, who began his career with Gambia Ports Authority F.C in 2007, signed his first professional contract in January 2008 when he decided to join Algerian club Mouloudia Club Saïda. Two years later, he joined Swiss Super League team Neuchâtel Xamax on a four and a half year contract until when the club owned by Chengen businessman Bulat Chagaev, had its license revoked by the Swiss League after they were declared bankrupt in February and was forced to release all its players without been able to pay their wages.

About Nancy

Association Sportive Nancy-Lorraine, which is commonly known as AS Nancy-Lorraine, AS Nancy, ASNL, or simply Nancy, is a French association football club based in Nancy. It was founded in 1967 and currently play in Ligue 1 [the top tier of French football].

Nancy plays its home matches at the Stade Marcel Picot in Tomblaine, a commune located in the Arrondissement of Nancy. The team is coached by Jean Fernandez and captained by goalkeeper Gennaro Bracigliano. Nancy was founded as the successor to FC Nancy, which collapsed in 1965.

The club has spent its entire life playing in either Ligue 1 or Ligue 2. Nancy has never won the first division, but has won the second division on four occasions. The team’s biggest achievement came in 1978 when the club won the Coupe de France defeating Nice in the final. It has also won the Coupe de la Ligue in 2006.

Nancy is presided over by Jacques Rousselot. Rousselot serves as a vice-president of the French Football Federation and is also a member of the federation's Federal Council. One of the club’s most notable players is UEFA President Michel Platini.

Platini began his career at the club in 1972 and playing eight seasons with Nancy. He scored the only goal in the aforementioned Coupe de France final and won two French Player of the Year awards while playing with the club. Platini also established himself as a French international while at the club and went on to achieved numerous team and individual accolades after his departure from Nancy.

He is considered to be, arguably, the club’s greatest player ever and, upon entering the section of the club’s official website which shows Nancy’s greatest players, a picture of a young Platini is displayed.