Malian playmaker Makan Konate dropped a bombshell on Thursday as he announced his departure from Persija Jakarta. Only a few hours later, Konate’s new club was revealed – newly-promoted RANS Nusantara FC. 30-year old Konate became the Prestige Phoenix’s third foreign signing this season, following Japanese attacking midfielder Kodai Iida and Brazilian defender Victor Sallinas.
Initially expected to be a part of Thomas Doll’s rebuild of Persija, Konate announced his departure from the Macan Kemayoran through his Instagram post, which thanked both the club and their passionate Jakmania fanbase for all the memories that he shared with them throughout his half-season there.
“It was with great sadness that I must bid farewell,” Konate wrote on his Instagram post, “I would like to thank everyone at Persija, my teammates, the management, the club president, the team doctor, and also all Jakmania and Jakangel. I apologize if I could only be at the club for a short time. To be honest I wanted to play in front of all Jakmania and Jakangel at the stadium, but God has other plans for me.”
According to an article posted on Persija’s official website, Doll has deemed Konate unsuitable for his plans for the 2022/23 Liga 1 Indonesia season. The German felt that the Malian’s talents wouldn’t suit his tactics and he believed that the foreign players that Persija will use for the upcoming season must suit the characteristics of said tactics, hence Konate being abruptly shown the door.
Thankfully for Konate, he wouldn’t have to wait long for his next port-of-call. Only hours after being released by Persija, Konate was snapped up by ambitious new boys RANS Nusantara. The Prestige Phoenix were looking to leave their mark on the Liga 1 in their debut campaign and they felt that Konate’s experience in Indonesian and Southeast Asian football would help RANS Nusantara fulfil their lofty ambitions for the upcoming season.
“Konate’s presence would surely provide a new dimension to RANS Nusantara’s midfield,” said an official statement posted on the club’s social media channels.
Konate will work alongside Kodai in RANS Nusantara’s engine room as the club’s attacking midfields, supplying decisive balls to RANS Nusantara’s strikers such as the veteran Cristian Gonzales and former Persik Kediri man Septian Bagaskara.