San Diego FC signs Congolese goal-scorer for stretch run

San Diego FC capped this week’s flurry of moves by landing a veteran forward for the stretch run and extending the contract of one of its young stars.

Congolese national team goal-scorer Cédric Bakambu has joined the club through the 2026 season, with SDFC holding options for the 2027 spring season and the 2027-28 full season, the team announced Thursday morning.

A few hours later, SDFC announced that it had extended 21-year-old defender Manu Duah’s contract through the 2029-30 season with a club option for 2030-31.

Duah, the team’s top pick in the 2025 Major League Soccer SuperDraft, has thrived since moving from midfielder to defender. Duah has made 26 appearances and 24 starts across all competitions for SDFC this season.

“He has embraced every challenge we’ve given him, taken significant steps in his game, and consistently shown that he can be relied upon at the highest level,” SDFC sporting director Tyler Heaps said. “This extension is something he has earned through his performances, his work every day, and the commitment he has shown to his development. We’re excited to continue supporting Manu as he takes the next steps in what we believe can be a very special career.”

The 35-year-old Bakambu spent the last two seasons with Real Betis of La Liga, where he scored 15 goals and had seven assists in 74 games.

Born in France to Congolese parents, Bakambu has seen the world. He came up with France’s FC Sochaux, then played professionally in Turkey, Spain and China before returning to Europe in 2022. He made 24 appearances with France’s Olympique de Marseille, then moved to Greece’s Olympiacos and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr. He helped lead Galatasaray to a Turkish Süper Lig title in 2024 before moving on to Real Betis.

Bakambu played for France at the youth level before choosing to represent Congo. He has made three World Cup appearances, making his debut in Congo’s draw with Portugal during this summer’s tournament.

“He has built an outstanding career competing at the highest levels in Europe and internationally, and his ability to consistently find the back of the net has been a defining part of his game,” Heaps said. “He understands what it takes to perform on the biggest stages and brings a winning mentality that will be extremely valuable to our group.”

Bakambu is the third player to join SDFC’s ranks this week. The club acquired Houston Dynamo defender Sam Vines and FJ Nordsjaelland midfielder David Mimbang on Wednesday, part of a flurry of activity that included the sale of defender Luca Bombio to Stoke City and the trade of forward Lewis Morgan to CF Montreal.

San Diego FC (8-8-6) travels to Orlando City (7-11-4) on Saturday afternoon. The azul and chrome currently hold the eighth Western Conference playoff seed.