Former Premier League record signing, 32, makes shock transfer to new club in LIBYA nearly a decade after Man Utd final

FORMER Premier League star Sofiane Boufal has plunged his career to new depths … by joining a club in LIBYA. Southampton paid Lille a club record £16million for the attacking midfielder in 2016. Sofiane Boufal has plunged his career to new depths by joining a club in Libya Credit: Reuters He made 84 Saints appearances, scoring five goals, and providing five assists Credit: Rex Features Boufal won the Premier League’s goal of the season award for his strike against West Brom a year later. He made 84 Saints appearances, scoring five goals, and played in their 2017 League Cup final loss to Manchester United. Sign up for the Man United newsletter Thank you! The Morocco international went on to play in France, Qatar and Belgium, and became a free agent after leaving Ligue 1 club Le Havre during the summer. Boufal, 32, has now penned a deal with Libyan top-flight outfit Al-Ittihad. Libya has long been a footballing backwater, in contrast to North African neighbours Egypt, Morocco and Algeria. Their national side has NEVER qualified for the World Cup finals, and only once reached an Africa Cup of Nations final – back in 1982. Tripoli-based Al-Ittihad proudly announced Boufal’s arrival on social media. They declared: “From the shores of the Atlantic to the Bride of the Mediterranean, Morocco’s star arrives in Tripoli to begin a new chapter. Most read in Sport BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Boufal won the Premier League’s goal of the season award for his strike against West Brom in 2017 Credit: Getty Images – Getty “Proud of his choice, proud of the team crest, a great star wears the shirt of history. “Welcome, Sofiane Boufal.” Paris-born Boufal has won 46 caps for Morocco. He has now become the biggest-ever name to join Al-Ittihad, who have won 18 national league titles and seven Libyan Cups. Comment now