Malawi National Football Team captain John ‘CJ’ Banda is expected to return to Blue Eagles after Mozambican side UD Songo released him last week.
CJ is currently on national duty after coach Kalisto Pasuwa picked him in his 28-member squad to face Namibia and Tunisia in the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers next week.
Eagles Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Ali said despite the player trained with them upon his return from Mozambique.
“We are yet to venture into discussions with him, but we remain optimistic that he will play for us in the 2025 season should there be no foreign club showing interest in his services. So we will definitely talk to him. We will do this as one way of strengthening our team ahead of our return to the Super League.
- Advertisement -
“CJ is a national team leader and we cannot ignore the fact that we would need his services at our club. There is something he does at the national team which we can also benefit from. He has been with us in the past and I am sure that his first priority locally will be playing for Blue Eagles,” Ali said.
- Advertisement -
The former defunct Eagle Beaks midfielder joined UD Songo in 2019 after a two-year stint with another Mozambican club, Ferroviario de Nampula.
During his time with UD Songo, he played a crucial role in helping the club secure the 2022 Mocambola Championship.
Meanwhile, Ali has confirmed that their former coach De Klerk Msakakuona is now the club’s technical director (TD) with Eliya Kananji maintaining his position as head coach.
Ali said they believe that Msakakuona, who was Malawi National Football Team assistant coach for three years, will add value to their technical panel.
- Advertisement -
“We have indeed put together our 2025 technical panel where Mr Msakakuona is our TD. We are hopeful that his services will help guide us to win trophies in elite football,” he said.
Ali said they have also roped in Msakakuona’s son Steve as an assistant to Kananji while Chimwemwe Chitedze is the goalkeeper coach.
Philip Masiye remains team manager with Alexandra Mora as team doctor.
Justin Kachala is the policemen’s physiotherapist whereas former midfield star Blessings Tembo is the fitness trainer and performance analyst.
The club has also appointed Missi Kampira as Masiye’s assistant with Nicholas Mwanjoka as security officer while Edwin Mbewe is media officer.
