Olawale Tanimowo, the first English player in the history of Kyrgyzstan’s top division, has joined FC Asia Talas from OshMU. The team is coached by Dynamo Kyiv legend and former Uzbekistan striker Maksim Shatskikh.
The 29-year-old winger made 16 appearances for OshMU, scoring six goals and providing seven assists.
Born in London, Tanimowo came through Bolton Wanderers’ youth system. Before moving to Kyrgyzstan, he played in Norway and Estonia and also had a trial with Scottish club Motherwell, making several appearances and scoring twice.
In an earlier interview with Eurasia Football, Tanimowo described the Kyrgyz league as a potential springboard for foreign players.
“You can get playing time here, adapt to a different style of football, show your qualities and then move forward. For many players, that is more important than simply being in Europe but not playing,” he said.
Tanimowo became Asia’s fifth signing of the summer transfer window. The Talas club had previously recruited Kyrgyzstan international Farkhat Musabekov from Bars. The midfielder scored on his debut in a 4–0 victory over Abdysh-Ata.
Asia have also signed 22-year-old Kyrgyz winger Nurtilek Sulaymanov from SKA-Khabarovsk-2, Moldova goalkeeper Andriy Kozhukhar on loan from Ukrainian club Veres Rivne and Georgian defensive midfielder Mikheil Basheleishvili from Uzbekistan’s Bukhara.
Kozhukhar has played in the Ukrainian Premier League and made six appearances for Moldova. Before moving to Uzbekistan, Basheleishvili represented Georgian clubs Telavi, Samgurali and Lokomotivi Tbilisi.
Two players have left Asia during the same transfer window. Georgian midfielder Akaki Shulaia returned to Torpedo Kutaisi, while Farkhodbek Bekmuradov terminated his contract with the club.
Asia are playing their debut season in Kyrgyzstan’s top flight. Shatskikh’s side have collected 32 points from 15 matches and sit fourth in the table. They trail leaders Muras United by five points with a game in hand.
The Talas-based club was founded in late 2025 and immediately admitted to the newly expanded 16-team Kyrgyz Premier League. Shatskikh won six Ukrainian league titles with Dynamo Kyiv and scored 142 goals in 328 appearances for the club.