Ayman Kari
French footballer (born 2004)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ayman Foumou Kari (born 19 November 2004) is a French former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ayman Foumou Kari[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 19 November 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Ivry-sur-Seine, France | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2014–2017 | US Villejuif | ||
| 2017–2023 | Paris Saint-Germain | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023–2025 | Paris Saint-Germain | 0 | (0) |
| 2023 | → Lorient B (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | → Lorient (loan) | 19 | (1) |
| Total | 20 | (1) | |
| International career | |||
| 2021–2022 | France U18 | 3 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | France U19 | 5 | (0) |
| 2024 | France U20 | 2 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Kari came through the ranks of Paris Saint-Germain, being named Titi d'Or as the club's best youth player in 2021. He played in Ligue 1 with Lorient from January 2023 to June 2024 in successive loan spells. Although initially hailed a promising player, he retired in 2025 at the age of 21.
Early life
Born in Ivry-sur-Seine, Île-de-France, Kari first played youth club football in Villejuif.[2][3][4][5] He then joined the Paris Saint-Germain Youth Academy in 2017, after spending two years in the pre-academy with the club.[6][7]
Club career
Having started playing with the under-19 side of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the summer of 2021, impressing both in the Championnat National U19 and the UEFA Youth League,[5] Kari was voted Titi d'Or in 2021, making him the best PSG youth player of that year, above the likes of Xavi Simons, Djeidi Gassama or Ismaël Gharbi.[3][6][8] Kari extended his contract with PSG in July 2022, tying him to the club until 2024,[2] after he was announced as a likely Bayern Munich signing.[9][10][11]
On 5 January 2023, Kari signed his first professional contract with PSG, a deal until 30 June 2025.[12] On 31 January, he was loaned out to fellow Ligue 1 club Lorient until the end of the season with an option for a one-year extension.[13] Although the deal also included an option-to-buy for Lorient, according to various media reports, PSG secured a buy-back clause in the case of Kari being sold.[14][15] On 30 April 2023, Kari made his professional debut as a substitute in a 3–1 away win over PSG at the Parc des Princes.[16] He returned on loan to Lorient for the 2023–24 season.[17] On 28 January 2024, Kari scored his first professional goal in a 3–3 draw against Le Havre.[18]
In July 2024, Kari returned to Paris Saint-Germain following his loan spell at Lorient. Although Luis Enrique meant to include him in his plans for the new season, he was reported to have shown up to pre-season eight to ten kilograms overweight. He was released from the club in July 2025.[12] In December 2025, L'Équipe reported that Kari had provisionally retired from professional football.[7]
International career
Style of play
A polyvalent midfielder, Kari mainly played as a sentinelle, a deep-lying playmaker during his time under Zoumana Camara with PSG youth teams.[4] He is described as a hard-working player, good at pressing and getting the ball back, with great pace, then able to make good use of the ball, with a controlled and decisive game.[4]
Career statistics
- As of match played 19 April 2024[19]