FC Cincinnati have acquired Togolese international forward Kévin Denkey (pronunciation: Kevin Den-KAY) from Cercle Brugge of the Belgian Pro League via transfer, the club announced today. Denkey will officially join the club as a Designated Player when the MLS Primary Transfer Window opens in 2025 and has been signed to a contract through 2028, with a club option for 2029.
Denkey, 23, has made over 200 professional appearances in Europe, scoring 78 goals and adding 22 assists. He has also earned 38 caps for the Togo National Team at the senior international level, scoring nine goals.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Kévin to FC Cincinnati,” said General Manager Chris Albright. “He is a talented, young striker, with exceptional character. Kévin has been one of the most productive forwards in Europe over the last two years, showcasing elite physicality, finishing ability, and work ethic. This is a historic transfer for our club and our league, and it’s a tremendous credit to our ownership group, which continues to invest in this club’s ambition to compete for trophies.”
The native of Lomé, Togo has led the top-flight Belgian Pro League with 34 goals over the last two seasons. Only four players have scored more league goals in Europe over the past two seasons than Denkey (Harry Kane, Bayern Munich; Viktor Gyökeres, Sporting CP; Erling Haaland, Manchester City; Luuk de Jong, PSV).
Denkey was the Pro League’s top scorer in 2023-24 with 27 goals, eight more than any other player. Upon his signing with Cincinnati, in the current 2024-25 season, Denkey has netted seven goals in 13 league matches and 11 goals in 23 matches across all competitions for Cercle Brugge.
“This choice was natural for me,” said Denkey. “It felt like the club really wanted me and I can really help the team. I just had this good feeling. So for all of us it just made sense. FC Cincinnati explained the project to me, and it was a big project. I went there, I saw a game, I saw the stadium, I saw everything, the facilities. And I said ‘This is incredible. This is amazing.’ I wanted to go to another step in my career and I think I can have it in Cincinnati.”
Denkey’s current season is highlighted by his five-goal contribution game (three goals, two assists) in October for Cercle Brugge in UEFA Conference League Group Stage play against Swiss club FC St. Gallen. The performance in the prominent continental competition featuring high-finishing clubs across Europe marked his third career professional hat trick.
In total, Denkey has appeared 147 times for Cercle Brugge, scoring 62 goals and adding 20 assists. He joined the Belgian club in January 2021 via transfer from French side Nîmes Olympique, where he had spent the majority of his professional career after joining the Nîmes youth system in 2014.
Denkey made nearly 30 appearances with Nîmes in the French first-division Ligue 1, scoring four goals and adding two assists over parts of two seasons.
For his country, Denkey’s nine goals for the Togo National Team are the second-most by any player since his debut for The Sparrowhawks in September 2018. Denkey scored in his most recent appearance for his country, on November 17, in Togo’s 3-0 win over Equatorial Guinea in Africa Cup of Nations qualification.
#9 KÉVIN DENKEY
Pronunciation: Kevin Den-KAY
Position: Forward
Height: 5-11
Birthdate: November 30, 2000 (23)
Birthplace: Lomé, Togo
Nationality: Togolese
How Acquired: Via transfer from Cercle Brugge of the Belgian Pro League as a Designated Player. Signed to a contract through 2028 with a club option for 2029.
