One of the standout players in the Estonian Premium Liiga this season, Ahmed Adebayo Basher, has officially left Tartu Tammeka to sign with Norwegian second-tier side IK Start. The 23-year-old Nigerian forward didn’t feature in Tammeka’s recent match against Nõmme Kalju, and it soon became clear why – he’s headed north to join a club pushing for promotion.
Basher joins a Start side that also features Estonian international Markus Soomets, who arrived earlier this summer. Soomets has already made an impact with a goal and an assist in his first three matches, and now the Norwegian side is banking on Basher to add even more attacking power.
“I’m really excited to join Start,” said Basher via the club’s official channels. “I’ve wanted this move for a while. The team plays a style that suits me, and I’m looking forward to helping them achieve their goals.”
Head coach Azar Karadas, a former Norwegian international himself, welcomed the signing with open arms. “We’ve been keeping tabs on Adebayo for a long time. He’s eager, hungry, and fits the way we want to play,” Karadas said. “We believe he can make a real difference for us.”
Start are currently sitting second in Norway’s First Division after 16 rounds, trailing league leaders Lillestrøm by seven points. With promotion to the Eliteserien in their sights, the club has made clear moves in the transfer window to strengthen their squad. Their next test comes on August 6.
Basher’s journey to this point has been far from conventional. Just over a year ago, he was playing in Latvia’s third division with Marupes SC. He signed with Tammeka in summer 2023 and wasted no time making an impression. In his first few months, he scored seven goals in 15 matches. Then came his breakout full season: 15 goals in 28 games.
In the current campaign, Basher has found the net 11 times in 19 matches — a tally that puts him in joint second in the league’s scoring charts, alongside Harju Laagri’s Karel Eermel and just one behind former JK Narva Trans player Pierre Kabore.
Source: https://www.ikstart.no/nyheter/ahmed-adebayo-er-klar-for-ik-start
