Official Gideon Mensah signs two‑year free deal with FC Koln

Two‑year contract signed on Saturday sees 27‑year‑old Ghana international Gideon Mensah leave AJ Auxerre for FC Koln on a free transfer, an official move confirmed by both clubs. The defender, who arrived from Red Bull Salzburg in 2022 and helped L’AJA secure promotion back to Ligue 1, arrives in Germany after impressive World Cup displays, including a clean sheet against England.

Mensah arrived at AJ Auxerre from Red Bull Salzburg in 2022 after featuring in Austria. Over four seasons he recorded 114 appearances for the Bourgogne side.

He was instrumental in Auxerre’s promotion back to Ligue 1 in 2024, helping L’AJA regain top‑flight status. Under Christophe Pélissier his displays kept the club in France’s Ligue 1 for the last two campaigns.

With his contract due to expire this summer, Mensah chose to leave the French side and embark on a new adventure in Germany. A two‑year contract with FC Koln has already been finalized.

The Ghana international impressed at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, notably keeping a clean sheet against England in the Group Stage. Those performances have boosted his profile ahead of the Bundesliga move.

Luke Entwistle reported the transfer for GFFN, confirming the free‑transfer nature of the deal and Mensah’s readiness for the German league. The move marks his first permanent spell in the German football system.