When Lazio signed Keita Balde Diao and Mamadou Tounkara on a free transfer there was a lot of excitement. They both came from the Barcelona youth team and when they played their first game for the Primavera team everybody was certain they would become future stars. As a matter of fact, I was more impressed by Tounkara than by Keita. Neither of the two players would fulfil their enormous potential.
Tounkara was born in Blanes, near Girona in Spain, on January 19, 1996. Just like Keita he is of Senegalese nationality but holds a Spanish passport. He was immediately noted by Barcelona as a little kid but a few injuries and indiscipline meant that he was loaned to Farners in 2010-11. At the end of August 2012, he signed for Lazio as a free agent and initially played for the Primavera. With the under-19s he won a League title in 2012-13, two Coppa Italias in 2013-14 and 2014-15 and a Super Coppa in 2014. He debuted in Serie A in the last game of the 2013-14 season against Bologna substituting no other than Miro Klose.
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Lazio had great belief in his abilities and in the summer of 2015, he was loaned to Crotone. In six months he hardly played, so in January 2016 he left for Salernitana again on loan. At this point Lazio decided to let him go but could not find a buyer. He stayed, made one appearance towards the end of the Pescara Lazio 2-6 game but again in the summer of 2017 the club had difficulty in finding him a team. In January 2018 he was loaned to Flamurtari SK in Albania for the start of three six-month loans. After Albania it was the turn of Swiss Fussballclub Schaffhausen followed by Slovacchian MFK ZemplÃn Michalovce. On August 11 2019 he signed for Viterbese in Serie C. He did very well in the following two years with 49 league appearances and 16 goals, earning him a call up for ambitious Serie B side Cittadella. He did reasonably well the first year even if he was always a regular but in January 2023 he was loaned to Avellino. He stayed six months before signing for Foggia and again in mid-season left for Avezzano. His is currently playing for Guidonia Montecelio in Serie D.
Tounkara was a promise who for various reasons never managed to make it. A real pity. He is a powerful, fast forward and he would have been an excellent partner for Keita. That was the plan, but it failed.
Lazio Career
Season | Total appearances (goals) | Serie A | Coppa Italia |
2013-14 | 1 | 1 | - |
2014-15 | 1 | - | 1 |
2016-17 | 1 | 1 | - |
Total | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Sources
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