Thievy Bifouma

Thievy Guivane Bifouma Koulossa (born 13 May 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Chinese club Shenzhen F.C. and the Congo national team.

He spent most of his early career in Spain, totalling 68 La Liga games and eight goals for Espanyol, Almeria and Granada in addition to a season on loan at Las Palmas in Segunda Division. As well as brief spells in England with West Bromwich Albion and France with Reims and Bastia, he represented four clubs in Turkey's Super Lig.

Formerly a youth international for France, Bifouma made his senior debut for the Congo in 2014. He competed at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, where he was joint top scorer.

Club Career

Espanyol

Bifouma was born in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis. He joined RCD Espanyol in Spain in early 2010, not yet aged 18, signing from RC Strasbourg Alsace. On 13 March 2011, he made his debut with the Catalans' first team, after coming on as a substitute for Joan Verdu in the dying minutes of a 2–0 La Liga home win against Deportivo de La Coruna.

On 10 August 2011, in the Copa Catalunya final, Bifouma scored a hat-trick in a 3–0 victory over a FC Barcelona team that was filled with reserve and youth players. On 17 December, he netted his first goal with the main squad, scoring the opener in an eventual 2–1 win at Sporting de Gijon.

In September 2012, Bifouma was loaned to UD Las Palmas of Segunda Division. After a successful spell, he extended his contract with Espanyol until 2017.

On 31 January 2014, Bifouma signed for West Bromwich Albion on a loan deal with a view to a permanent transfer, being awarded the number 50 shirt. He made his debut in the Premier League eight days later, playing the second half and scoring within 36 seconds of taking the pitch in a 3–1 away loss against Crystal Palace.

Bifouma moved to fellow top-division club UD Almeria on 13 August 2014, in a season-long loan. On 19 March of the following year, he was suspended for one month due to a

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