Renowned French footballer Moussa Dembélé has purchased Lithuanian second-tier club FK Minija Kretinga, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano. The acquisition was made through the investment group Triple M, which also owns AS Mansa, a football club based in Mali.
The 28-year-old striker currently plays for Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia. A product of the Paris Saint-Germain youth academy, Dembélé has built an impressive career with stints at Fulham (England), Celtic (Scotland), Olympique Lyonnais (France), and Atlético Madrid (Spain).
Throughout his professional journey, Dembélé has scored 56 goals in France’s Ligue 1, 25 in the Scottish Premiership, and 15 in England’s Championship. He has also found the net 7 times in the UEFA Champions League. His most successful period was in 2020, when his market value peaked at €50 million, according to Transfermarkt.
Dembélé has won multiple titles, including the La Liga championship with Atlético Madrid and three Scottish Premiership titles with Celtic. He also represented France at youth level, where he scored a total of 23 goals across various age groups.
FK Minija Kretinga, currently sitting 9th out of 16 teams in Lithuania’s I Lyga (second division), has an intriguing history. While a club under the same name was originally founded in the Samogitian town of Kretinga in 1962, it eventually disappeared from the football landscape. The current iteration of FK Minija was re-established in 2017 and has been competing in the second tier of Lithuanian football since 2019. Their best finish came in 2023, when they placed sixth.
This surprising acquisition by Dembélé adds a new chapter to his footballing journey and marks a significant moment for Lithuanian football.
Source : https://www.15min.lt/sportas/naujiena/futbolas/netiketa-prancuzijos-futbolo-zvaigzde-isigijo-kretingos-kluba-24-2435456