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San Diego FC is making another move to strengthen its attack.
SDFC announced Thursday that it has signed free-agent forward Cédric Bakambu through the remainder of the 2026 season, with club options that could keep him in San Diego through the 2027 MLS Sprint Season and the 2027-28 campaign.
The 35-year-old arrives with a résumé that immediately stands out. Bakambu has spent his career playing in some of the biggest leagues and clubs around the world, including Villarreal, Olympique de Marseille, Olympiacos, Galatasaray and most recently Real Betis.
A Proven Goal Scorer
If there is one thing Bakambu has done throughout his career, it's score goals.
Across 492 professional appearances, the veteran forward has recorded 191 goals and 39 assists. During his two seasons with Real Betis, he made 74 appearances across all competitions, scoring 15 goals and adding seven assists.
His most productive European spell came with Villarreal.
Bakambu scored 47 goals in 105 appearances for the Spanish club between 2015 and 2018, including nine goals in just 13 Europa League appearances during Villarreal's run to the 2015-16 semifinals.
He also enjoyed a prolific stint in China with Beijing Guoan, where he scored 58 goals and registered 21 assists in 87 appearances. In the 2019-20 season, he finished as the Chinese Super League's leading scorer with 14 goals.
More recently, Bakambu found success in Greece, scoring 18 goals for Olympiacos during the 2022-23 season and finishing as the league's top scorer.
Now, he'll bring that experience to San Diego.
Why Bakambu Makes Sense for SDFC
For SDFC, this signing comes at an interesting point in the club's development.
San Diego has spent much of its young history building around a possession-heavy style, but one of the biggest challenges this season has been consistently turning possession and opportunities into goals.
Bakambu gives Mikey Varas another experienced option at the top of the attack. He comes with a long track record of finding the back of the net at the highest levels of European soccer.
That could be particularly valuable for a team fighting to climb the Western Conference standings during the final stretch of the season.
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Heaps: Bakambu Brings a Winning Mentality
SDFC Sporting Director Tyler Heaps believes Bakambu's experience can have an immediate impact on the club.
“Cédric brings an incredible level of experience and proven quality to San Diego FC,” Heaps said. “He has built an outstanding career competing at the highest levels in Europe and internationally, and his ability to consistently find the back of the net has been a defining part of his game.”
Heaps also pointed to Bakambu's experience on the biggest stages as something that can benefit a relatively young SDFC squad.
“He understands what it takes to perform on the biggest stages and brings a winning mentality that will be extremely valuable to our group,” Heaps said.
That's an important piece of this signing.
SDFC has plenty of young talent, but Bakambu has spent more than a decade navigating professional soccer across multiple countries and leagues. He has played in title races, European competitions and major international tournaments.
That experience is something San Diego simply couldn't manufacture internally.
From France to the World
Bakambu was born in France and came through the academy at FC Sochaux, making more than 100 appearances for the club between 2010 and 2014.
He later moved to Turkey with Bursaspor, where he scored 21 goals in 40 appearances and finished as the Turkish Cup's top scorer during the 2014-15 season.
After his breakout at Villarreal, Bakambu spent four seasons with Beijing Guoan before returning to Europe.
He later played for Marseille, Olympiacos, Al-Nassr, Galatasaray and Real Betis.
His career has taken him across France, Turkey, Spain, China, France again, Greece, Saudi Arabia and back to Turkey and Spain.
Now he adds the United States to the list.
A World Cup Veteran
Bakambu also arrives in San Diego having just experienced one of the biggest moments of his international career.
Born to Congolese parents, Bakambu represented France throughout the youth ranks before choosing to play for the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the senior level.
He made his senior debut for Congo DR in 2015 and was part of the country's historic 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
Bakambu made three appearances at the tournament, including his World Cup debut in Congo DR's memorable 1-1 draw against Portugal on June 17.
That means SDFC is bringing in a player who has competed on one of soccer's biggest stages — and he's arriving with plenty of experience left to offer.
What It Means for SDFC
At 35, Bakambu is at a very different stage of his career than many of the young players SDFC has traditionally targeted. But that may be exactly why this move makes sense.
San Diego doesn't just need young talent. It needs players capable of helping those young players win now.
Bakambu brings goals, experience and a résumé that stretches across some of the biggest leagues in the world.
SDFC has been building the foundation of its club. Now, with the playoff race heating up, the club is adding a proven striker who has spent his entire career proving he can find the net.
The next question is simple: Can Bakambu do it in San Diego?
