Rwanda international defender Niyigena Clement has completed a move to Egyptian Premier League side Smouha SC after leaving APR FC, with an official announcement expected in the coming days.
The 25-year-old centre-back has been in Egypt since last month after remaining in the country following Amavubi’s training camp, using the opportunity to finalize his move.
Niyigena had initially been linked with fellow Egyptian top-flight club Ceramica Cleopatra SC, but has instead agreed to a two-year contract with Smouha SC. Reports indicate the deal is worth around $60,000, with the defender set to earn a monthly salary of approximately $5,000.
Based in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, Smouha SC is a long-established sports club founded in 1949 by Joseph Smouha, after whom it is named. Its football team was formed in the 2008/09 season and secured promotion to the Egyptian Premier League just two years later.
The club plays its home matches at Alexandria Stadium, which has a capacity of nearly 13,700 spectators.
Although Smouha have yet to win either the Egyptian Premier League or the Egypt Cup, they have emerged as a competitive side in recent years. Their best league finish came in the 2013/14 season when they finished runners-up, while they also reached the Egypt Cup final in 2013/14 and 2017/18.
On the continental stage, Smouha have made one appearance each in the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup, reaching the group stage in both competitions.
The club finished sixth in the Egyptian Premier League last season before ending seventh in the championship play-offs, providing Niyigena with an opportunity to test himself in one of Africa’s most competitive domestic leagues.
