African players deserve respect, says Senegal’s Sarr’s agent

Diomansy Kamara, the agent of Crystal Palace and Senegal forward Ismaila Sarr, has called for greater respect for African footballers and urged clubs to give players a stronger voice in decisions concerning their careers.

Kamara made the comments while discussing the cases of Sarr and fellow Senegal international Lamine Camara, saying the situations should prompt wider reflection on how African players are treated in the transfer market.

He criticised what he described as a culture in which African players can sometimes be treated as commodities, with clubs setting their prices and negotiating their futures while their own wishes are pushed into the background.

In a post by Fabrizio Romano on X on Wednesday, Kamara said, “Our African players deserve respect. The respect of their work. The respect of their career. Respecting their ambitions. The respect of their voices,” Kamara said.

The former Senegal international stressed that transfer negotiations should not be reduced to discussions between clubs and financial figures, arguing that players’ ambitions and personal choices should also be considered.

“A transfer shouldn’t just be a matter of two clubs and numbers. Behind every contract, there’s a man, a career, dreams and life choices,” he said.

Kamara acknowledged that clubs can sometimes have the final say in transfer matters under the rules of professional football, but questioned whether the wishes of players receive sufficient consideration.

He called for players to have a greater say in decisions that shape their careers and futures.

“The player must be able to be heard and respected in the decisions that determine his future,” Kamara added.

The agent also urged the football industry not to overlook the central role players play in the sport, saying they are ultimately responsible for creating its history through their performances and achievements.

“Let’s never forget what’s important: behind every success, it’s the players who write history first,” he said.