Ayman Kari

Ayman Kari
Personal information
Full name Ayman Foumou Kari[1]
Date of birth (2004-11-19) 19 November 2004
Place of birth Ivry-sur-Seine, France
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position Midfielder
Youth career
2014–2017 US Villejuif
2017–2023 Paris Saint-Germain
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023–2025 Paris Saint-Germain 0 (0)
2023 → Lorient B (loan) 1 (0)
2023–2024 → Lorient (loan) 19 (1)
Total 20 (1)
International career
2021–2022 France U18 3 (0)
2022–2023 France U19 5 (0)
2024 France U20 2 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ayman Foumou Kari (born 19 November 2004) is a French former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Kari came through the ranks of Paris Saint-Germain, being named Titi d'Or as the club's best youth player in 2021. He played in Ligue 1 with Lorient from January 2023 to June 2024 in successive loan spells. Although initially hailed a promising player, he retired in 2025 at the age of 21.

Early life

Born in Ivry-sur-Seine, Île-de-France, Kari first played youth club football in Villejuif.[2][3][4][5] He then joined the Paris Saint-Germain Youth Academy in 2017, after spending two years in the pre-academy with the club.[6][7]

Club career

Having started playing with the under-19 side of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the summer of 2021, impressing both in the Championnat National U19 and the UEFA Youth League,[5] Kari was voted Titi d'Or in 2021, making him the best PSG youth player of that year, above the likes of Xavi Simons, Djeidi Gassama or Ismaël Gharbi.[3][6][8] Kari extended his contract with PSG in July 2022, tying him to the club until 2024,[2] after he was announced as a likely Bayern Munich signing.[9][10][11]

On 5 January 2023, Kari signed his first professional contract with PSG, a deal until 30 June 2025.[12] On 31 January, he was loaned out to fellow Ligue 1 club Lorient until the end of the season with an option for a one-year extension.[13] Although the deal also included an option-to-buy for Lorient, according to various media reports, PSG secured a buy-back clause in the case of Kari being sold.[14][15] On 30 April 2023, Kari made his professional debut as a substitute in a 3–1 away win over PSG at the Parc des Princes.[16] He returned on loan to Lorient for the 2023–24 season.[17] On 28 January 2024, Kari scored his first professional goal in a 3–3 draw against Le Havre.[18]

In July 2024, Kari returned to Paris Saint-Germain following his loan spell at Lorient. Although Luis Enrique meant to include him in his plans for the new season, he was reported to have shown up to pre-season eight to ten kilograms overweight. He was released from the club in July 2025.[12] In December 2025, L'Équipe reported that Kari had provisionally retired from professional football.[7]

International career

Kari is a former youth international for France, having started playing with the under-18s in the autumn of 2021.[4][5] He is also eligible to represent Comoros and Madagascar at international level.[6]

Style of play

A polyvalent midfielder, Kari mainly played as a sentinelle, a deep-lying playmaker during his time under Zoumana Camara with PSG youth teams.[4] He is described as a hard-working player, good at pressing and getting the ball back, with great pace, then able to make good use of the ball, with a controlled and decisive game.[4]

Career statistics

As of match played 19 April 2024[19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Lorient B (loan) 2022–23 National 2 1 0 — 1 0
Lorient (loan) 2022–23 Ligue 1 5 0 0 0 5 0
2023–24 Ligue 1 14 1 1 0 15 1
Total 19 1 1 0 20 1
Career total 20 1 1 0 21 1

Honours

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Aspire Academy Tri-Series Season 2016–17" (PDF). Aspire Academy. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Mercato: le PSG offre un premier contrat pro à Ayman Kari, l'un de ses grands espoirs". RMC Sport (in French). 4 July 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  3. ^ a b Quarez, Benjamin (4 February 2022). "Ayman Kari, la révélation du centre de formation du PSG : "Il a toujours été parmi les très bons de sa génération"". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d Monegier, Tom (14 November 2021). "PSG : Ayman Kari, le jeune milieu qui monte au Camp des Loges". Foot Mercato (in French). Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  5. ^ a b c Delaporte, Augustin (24 November 2021). "Ayman Kari, la pépite du PSG racontée par son père". actufoot.
  6. ^ a b c Oludare, Shina (4 July 2022). "Ayman Kari: Comoros prospect extends contract with Paris Saint-Germain". Goal. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  7. ^ a b "Grand espoir du PSG, il a mis sa carrière en pause : qu'est-il arrivé à Ayman Kari, celui qui était « meilleur que Joao Neves et Zaïre-Emery » ?". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  8. ^ a b Salomon, Bruno; Clemens, Pia; Romain, Fresu (24 January 2022). "PSG : Ayman Kari et Manssita Traoré sacrés Titis d'or 2021". France Bleu (in French). France 3. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  9. ^ Aflalo, Alexandre; Quarez, Benjamin (4 July 2022). "Ayman Kari, le "Titi d'or", prolonge au PSG". Le Parisien (in French). Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  10. ^ Mechenoua, Marc (26 June 2022). "PSG : Bayern Munich, deux autres clubs allemands, Paris... le point sur la situation d'Ayman Kari". Goal. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  11. ^ Margueritte, Matthieu (2 December 2025). "L'un des plus grands espoirs du PSG arrête sa carrière à 21 ans". Foot Mercato : Info Transferts Football - Actu Foot Transfert (in French). Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  12. ^ a b Margueritte, Matthieu (2 December 2025). "L'un des plus grands espoirs du PSG arrête sa carrière à 21 ans". Foot Mercato : Info Transferts Football - Actu Foot Transfert (in French). Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  13. ^ "Ayman Kari joins Lorient on loan". Paris Saint-Germain F.C. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  14. ^ Aouna, Santi; Ben Berkane, Hanif (31 January 2023). "Le PSG a une clause de rachat sur Ayman Kari !". Foot Mercato (in French). Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  15. ^ Marc, Enzo (31 January 2023). "Qui est Ayman Kari, le prochain grand talent de la formation du PSG proche du FC Lorient". 90min (in French). Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  16. ^ "PSG vs. Lorient". Soccerway. 30 April 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  17. ^ Bakhkhar, Anas (6 July 2023). "PSG : Ayman Kari repart en prêt à Lorient". Foot Mercato (in French). Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  18. ^ "Lorient vs. Le Havre". Soccerway. 28 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  19. ^ Ayman Kari at Soccerway
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