Phoenix Rising has officially added reinforcements in the middle of the pitch, announcing Wednesday the acquisition of Cameroonian midfielder Jean-Éric Moursou on loan from Valenciennes FC of France’s Championnat National, pending league and federation approval. The deal includes an option to buy.
Born in Garoua, Cameroon, the 20-year-old Moursou brings international experience and a reputation for being both tough and technically sound. Rising head coach Pa-Modou Kah expressed confidence that the new signing will add immediate value to the squad.
“[Mourso] will bring toughness, but also is someone who can play with the ball,” Kah said. “He’s a midfielder that can do a great job both on and off the ball. He’s young, hungry and sees our club as an opportunity to elevate himself and hopefully move on.”
Moursou himself echoed that sentiment, describing Phoenix as the right step at this stage in his career.
“After talking with Coach Kah, I knew I wanted to be involved in the Phoenix project,” Moursou said in translated French. “It’s a good project for me, for my progress in my football career, and Rising is a good club.”
Rising’s Midfield Reinforcement
Moursou began his professional career with Coton Sport FC de Garoua, making 25 appearances for his hometown club before moving to France in 2023. With Valenciennes, he featured across multiple competitions, including Ligue 2 (8 appearances), Championnat National (15), and the Coupe de France (7).
At just 16 years and 40 days old, Moursou became the youngest player ever selected in interclub competition in the history of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). He broke through in the 2021–22 CAF Confederation Cup season, playing over 700 minutes, and earned his first international call-up with Cameroon in November 2023 for FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Mauritius and Libya.
“He’s another player that is a good body for us to have, tidy on the ball, defensively sound,” Kah told reporters this week. “We’re very happy with the signing of Jean and we’re looking forward to having him with us because I think he can help the group now and also in the future.”
Stability and Resilience at the Forefront
Beyond new signings, Kah emphasized the importance of stability as Rising continue their three-game homestand. After a 3-3 draw with El Paso, a match swung by a red card after Rising built a 3-0 lead, the coach stressed the need to respond quickly ahead of Friday’s clash with Las Vegas Lights.
“You’re more disappointed for the boys because they deserve more, but again, that is football. Sometimes it’s cruel,” Kah said. “The lesson we take from it is we have a game on Friday and now we’re looking for a response.”
Kah also underscored the bigger picture: building a core that can grow together into next season.
“Stability is very important in football. The foundation is always with the pieces you’ve worked with, that understand what our culture looks like and how we want to build,” he said. “With this group we’re building now, it’s also about building up for next year.”
