Kennedy Boateng's contract with Dinamo expires at the end of June, and he has refused to renew it. Turkish club Kocaelispor, currently in 10th place in the Turkish Super Lig, has expressed strong interest in signing the Togolez player. Additionally, a Chinese team has also shown interest in Boateng.

Kocaelispor's History and Future Plans

Kocaelispor, founded in 1966, has oscillated between the top two divisions for three decades before experiencing a decline in 2009 when it was relegated from the first division. The club played in the Amateur Regional League between 2014 and 2016 before returning to the Super Lig in 2025. Now, Kocaelispor has big plans for the upcoming season.

According to the publication Kocaeli Halk, the team coached by Selcuk Inan has outlined a plan for the next season and is interested in signing the experienced defender Kennedy Boateng (29 years old).

“According to the latest information, the team’s representative has been closely tracking the 29-year-old defender who played for Dinamo, one of the Romanian League teams. The management has gathered information about the player’s situation and is seriously interested in this transfer. The player’s contract with Dinamo expires on June 30, 2026.

As a result, the club aims to acquire the player without paying a transfer fee. The initiative, reportedly approved by the coaching staff, has created enthusiasm among fans. The transfer department will use all means to add Boateng to the squad if the conditions are met,” the journalists write.

Interest from China and Boateng's Career

Meanwhile, the specialized platform NovantaSpor reports that Shandong Taishan, a Chinese club, is also interested in Boateng. In the winter, the player rejected a Chinese offer. The first to write about the possible transfer to Shandong Taishan were the Africa Soccer journalists in February.

The central defender, 29 years old, who represents Togo and also holds Ghanaian nationality, was valued at 1.2 million euros at the time. As he had four months left on his contract with Dinamo, journalists noted that negotiations between the clubs would begin from this amount.

Boateng joined the Bucharest club in the summer of 2024. His value has steadily increased during his time in Romania, rising from 650,000 euros in September 2024 to 1 million euros in June 2025 and then to 1.2 million euros in December 2025.

Born in Tamale on November 29, 1996, the right-footed central defender built his career in several European leagues. After appearing at the Ghana Football Academy, he moved to Austria to join LASK Linz. He was loaned to SV Ried, and in 2021, he definitively moved to Santa Clara in Portugal. Between July and November 2023, he was not registered with any club, and after eight months with SC Austria Lustenau, he joined Dinamo.