Rising acquires the Cameroonian midfielder on a permanent basis
Phoenix Rising FC today announced it has triggered the purchase option in the contract of midfielder Jean-Éric Moursou, acquiring the midfielder on a permanent basis from French club Valenciennes FC, pending league and federation approval.
Moursou, 21, arrived in Phoenix on loan in September 2025, going on to start in six of Rising’s final seven matches of the 2025 season, including playoffs.
“(Moursou) is a big part of what we’re building here in Phoenix,” said Rising Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah. “He’s a player with hunger and desire to compete and help the club achieve its objectives. He’s a born winner and great character in the locker room.”
Born in Garoua, Cameroon, Moursou made his professional debut in 2020 for his hometown club Coton Sport FC de Garoua. While at Valenciennes FC, the midfielder made 41 appearances across four different French competitions, including the Coupe de France (7 apps), Ligue 2 (8) and Championnat National (15).
Transaction: Phoenix Rising FC triggers the purchase option in the contract of midfielder Jean-Éric Moursou, pending league and federation approval.
2026 Phoenix Rising FC Roster (As of Jan. 13, 2026):
-Goalkeepers (1): Patrick Rakovsky
-Defenders (5): Collin Smith, Rafael Czichos, Daniel Flores, Luke Biasi, Adrian Pelayo
-Midfielders (4): Jean-Eric Moursou, JP Scearce, Hope Avayevu, Jamison Ping
-Forwards (7): Ihsan Sacko, Kelvin Arase, Darius Johnson, Damian Rivera, Charlie Dennis, Gunnar Studenhofft, Juan Carvajal
