Cheikh Niasse, born in Senegal on 19th January 2000, is a central defensive midfielder for Young Boys Bern. At just 24 years old, he stands impressively at 6ft 2in (1.88m) and weighs 12st 12lb (82kg). Niasse can typically be seen sporting the number 20 jersey on the pitch.
As recorded by Transfermarkt, Niasse is currently valued around £1.3m. His contract with Young Boys Bern is due to run for a further year and a half, expected to expire at the end of June 2026.
Niasse got his professional footie career off to a quiet start at Lille in France during the 2019-2020 season, with just one first team appearance. His subsequent move to Panathinaikos in Greece for the 2020-2021 season saw an increase in action, as he made it onto the field for 13 games. However, the caliginous Greek league did little to bolster his career, and he returned to Lille for the 2021-2022 season where he made a mere four appearances.
It was only upon his move to Young Boys Bern in Switzerland that his career started sparking into life. With ten first-team appearances and a goal under his belt, the 2021-2022 season marked a noticeable uptick in form. This good form continued into the 2022-2023 season, with Niasse appearing a significant 26 times for the team. By the 2023-2024 season, he has become a stalwart of the team, making 30 appearances. The current season, 2024-2025, has seen him represent Young Boys Bern on 13 occasions so far.
Niasse has also had a taste of international football, participating in several prestigious tournaments. During the 2023-2024 season, he represented Young Boys Bern in the Champions League with six starts, and also the Europa League with one start and one appearance as a substitute. He repeated his Champions League performances in the 2024-2025 qualifiers with two starts. In the domestic Coupe de Suisse 2024-2025, he made one start and once again graced the Champions League stage with three starts and one substitution appearance.
Despite an undistinguished start to his professional career, Niasse has clearly grown into his role as a valuable team player. His ability to battle back from a challenging beginning is laudable, and his winding career path has taken him from France to Greece, then back to France and now Switzerland. One can only guess where this young midfielder might go next.
