Newly promoted Ethiopian Premier League side Sheger Ketema have paid a large sum for the first time ever to secure the services of three Ethiopia U-17 national team stars. The Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) has revealed that the Addis Ababa suburb club agreed a landmark deal to sign three members from the U-17 national team.
Ethiopia qualified for the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 22 years, and players who were key members of the Red Foxes have joined the Ethiopian top-flight side. Team captain Biniyam Abraha, striker Dawit Kassaw, and defender Zelalem Kebede have joined Sheger Ketema.
Sheger paid a total sum of 1 million Ethiopian Birr ($6,300 USD) for the services of Kassaw and Abraha. Both players are products of Three Point Academy. The academy was set up by German national Teddy Rupp, who is the father of former German Olympic team forward Davie Selke, in partnership with the EFF. Since its inception, Three Point has become champions of the Addis Ababa U-17 competition and managed to have five players selected for the U-17 national team.
The EFF hailed the signing of the three players as a step forward and asked other clubs to invest in youth players. It is the first time in the recent history of Ethiopian football that a top-flight club has paid a large sum to a youth academy to sign players.
(Pan-Africa Football)
