China: Gabon international Aaron Boupendza dies at the age of 28

Panthers striker Aaron Boupendza has reportedly died tragically in China at the age of 28.

According to Romanian media citing Chinese sources, the player is said to have passed away after a fatal fall from the 11th floor of his apartment building in Zhejiang Province. Boupendza had signed with a Chinese club last January following a brief stint with Rapid Bucharest in Romania. The exact circumstances of the incident remain unclear at this time.

Trained at CF Mounana in Gabon, Boupendza moved to France at a young age to join Bordeaux. Despite several loan spells (Pau, Gazélec Ajaccio, Tours, Feirense), he never truly got his chance with the Bordeaux first team. It was in Turkey, at Hatayspor, that he made his breakthrough, scoring 22 goals during the 2020–2021 Süper Lig season.

He later continued his career in the Gulf (Al-Arabi, then Al-Shabab), before moving to Major League Soccer with FC Cincinnati, where he scored 9 goals in 35 appearances. He returned to Europe last summer before venturing into Chinese football.