French Ligue 1 club FC Nantes has sent their recruitment officer on the African continent, Moussa Soumah to finalise the transfer deal of APR striker Elias Uzamukunda.

Soumah told Times Sport yesterday that he has been sent by Nantes FC to start talks abut a possible transfer of Uzamukunda to the French club.

"The main objective is to talk with APR management and finalise the player’s deal.  If all goes well, Uzamukunda will join the French club in a fortnight,” he said.

"It took me 45 minutes to spot Uzamukunda during the African Youth Championship match between Mali and Rwanda.

"His quality, ball skills, ball protection, speed, physical capacity and his skillful passes was all that he needed to be on the list of wanted players by Nantes,” Soumah said of the Rwandan international.

"I didn’t know that I would find a Rwandan player with such quality. Originally, I was meant to scout on players from Cameroon, Mali, Ivory Coast and Nigeria.

"Uzamukunda is a unique talent. I am from the U-17 AYC finals in Algeria but I have not found any player like him,” he added.

The Senegal-born scout is the man behind the transfer of several African players like Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, Blackburn midfielder El Hadj Diouf, St. Etienne striker Fredrick Mendi, Pascal Feidonou and his brother Simon Feidonou to mention but a few.

Soumah was set to meet APR president Brig. Gen Alex Kagame to finalise talks yesterday before the player’s return with APR club from Egypt next week.

The 19-year-old will lead APR’s hunt for goals on Sunday when APR plays away to Haras El Hodoud in the second leg of the African Confederation Cup second round tie due in Alexandria.

The ex-AS-Kigali forward passed professional trials at French Ligue 1 club early last month. He was accompanied by team mates Haruna Niyonzima, Jean Mugiraneza but the latter returned home after their trial at Le Havre.

Nantes is currently placed on 16th position with 30 points in 28 matches played in the French Ligue 1.

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