As the GFF Division One gears up for the 2025/2026 season, The Alkamba Times reviews the early transfer activity across clubs in the country. Guest columnist and Gambian football league expert Hamadi Kebbeh breaks down the confirmed signings and what they mean for each team heading into the new campaign.
Real de Banjul on Route to a Fourth Title in a Row
Real de Banjul will head to camp this week, and once again, they are clear favorites to retain the title. They’re aiming for their fourth consecutive championship, and the chemistry within the team remains intact.
Basori is a nightmare for many teams, but Real are used to it. They’ve made key signings in Omar Johm and Abdoulie Danso, two of the best and most consistent players in the Second Division last season. Sidik Jawara returns, while Alasana Badjie has joined from Sweden — a boost to their attacking depth.
With balance, experience, and winning mentality, Real look settled and strong once again.
Academy Boys Medina — Putting Survival Before Blueprint
Medina FC is an academy side, and as with most academies, their goal is to develop and promote young talents. However, their recent strategy shows a smart shift — attracting experienced players to help them survive in the top flight.
Among the new arrivals are Ebou “Torres” Sanyang, Adama Kanteh (from Fortune FC), Mass Njie, and Alieu Manneh (from Hawks). Even Brikama United’s captain has been spotted training with them.
They need this kind of experience, as the First Division is unforgiving. As head coach Alieu Jagne knows, you can’t survive on raw talent alone — you need leaders on the pitch. If Medina can add four or five senior players, they’ll be more balanced and competitive.
Medina FC’s Team Manager Tijan Wadda: “We Haven’t Deviated from Our Blueprint”
Tijan Wadda, Medina’s team manager, insists the club is staying true to its academy philosophy despite adding experience.
“We recruited five experienced players to add balance to our core,” he said. “The majority of our team from last season are still here. Six academy players have been promoted to the first team, and four — Abdoulie Conteh, Njobo Kanteh, Brian Mendy, and Omar Bojang — have been with us since the Third Division.” He stressed that Medina’s master plan remains intact:
“We haven’t deviated from our blueprint. We have another set of 11 to 15 academy players being closely monitored and trained for the second round. We don’t want to go up and come straight back down. That’s why we added experience — it’s what every young team needs.”
Brikama United Under Transition
Sheriff Mankajang is a promising coach — a local product who understands Brikama’s football culture and expectations. But Brikama United are currently in transition.
The departure of Modou Lamin Sarr from both his head coach and technical director roles has created a gap. While the club has appointed a new coach, they are still without a sporting director — a key position that could affect early-season planning.
They’ve lost some experienced players, and although new signings have arrived, it will take time for the team to gel. Expect a slow start, but as the season progresses, Brikama could regain rhythm and consistency.
Harts FC Poised to Struggle
The transfer of Sheriff Jallow to Gambia Dutch Lions is a great move for him but a major loss for Harts FC. Sheriff’s presence as a holding midfielder and creator will be hard to replace. The club also lost Saikouba Jarjue, another key figure in midfield.
Haarts could still attract players from Jarra, but whether replacements can match the lost quality remains uncertain. Last season, many teams struggled to decode Haarts’ style — but now they’re familiar with it. Their home form will be crucial to survival this year.
President Bakary Baldeh: “We Won’t Struggle as People Fear”
Despite the departures, club president Bakary Baldeh remains optimistic.
“It’s not panic for us,” he said. “Even when Saikouba and Nfansu didn’t play last season — when they were injured or away for trials — we still won games. The core is intact.”
He clarified that only a few areas need reinforcement:
“It’s just the front line and one midfield player who left. All our defenders are still here. Nfansu will play the first round, and we’ve already got good replacements for both him and Saikouba.”
According to Baldeh, the replacements are homegrown:“We didn’t recruit from outside. We looked at our academy and made the adjustments. Whatever Sheriff did, Ebrima Jallow and Moses Gomez can do better. Saikouba’s loss hurts, but we’ve been grooming someone similar from Team B.” He concluded confidently:
“People think we’ll struggle because two players are gone, but the team is bigger than those two players.”
TMT’s Rising Ambition — Fortune Still in the Race
TMT FC have strengthened both their technical and administrative structure, appointing Alieu Colley as permanent head coach and adding a technical director, assistant coach, and tactical coach to the backroom staff.
“They’ve made some decent signings,” Hamadi said. “Most importantly, Ebrima Fofana — he’ll help them a lot during the season. The arrival of Sarr will also boost morale. They have a very strong squad and could be one of the surprise packages this year.”
Meanwhile, Fortune FC remain among the title favorites, despite losing two key players.
“Fortune are always in the title race,” Hamadi emphasized. “But losing Ebou Sanyang and Abdoulie Tamba — two of their most important players — will be tough. Especially Ebou, who’s been one of their best players over the past three seasons.”He added:
“Fortune used to assemble a lot of stars, which sometimes made them difficult to coach. Maybe now, with a more balanced squad, they’ll be easier to manage. You can never rule out Fortune FC.”
Early transfer activity has already set the tone for what promises to be a thrilling GFF Division One season. From Real de Banjul’s title defense to Medina’s fight for stability and TMT’s quiet rise, the stage is set for another dramatic campaign in Gambian football.
