LAMECK BANDA MOVE: Chibambo questions foreign football agents

Former international striker Signs Chibambo has weighed in on Lameck Banda’s controversial transfer moves within the current window, calling for greater scrutiny of the role of football agents in Zambian players’ careers. Banda was at the weekend finally unveiled by Libyan…

Former international striker Signs Chibambo has weighed in on Lameck Banda’s controversial transfer moves within the current window, calling for greater scrutiny of the role of football agents in Zambian players’ careers.

Banda was at the weekend finally unveiled by Libyan champions Al-Swehly Sporting Club after weeks of contractual disputes after leaving Italian side Lecce.

‎Lecce had reported Banda to FIFA claiming they extended his contract to 2027 and demanded 12 million US Dollars in compensation.
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‎But FIFA ruled in favour of Banda, clearing him to join Al-Swehly.

Commenting on the matter, Chibambo expressed concern over Banda’s frequent club movements, particularly his recent move from Italy to Libya, saying it reflects a wider problem in how players are guided.

“I have watched how Lameck Banda has moved from one club to another within this transfer window, and honestly, I believe we need to look closely at the role of football agents,”Chibambo said.

Drawing from his own experience, the former striker recalled leaving Nigeria not over football reasons, but over people.

Chibambo played for Heartland in Nigeria before switching to Vietnam.

“I remember when I left Nigeria. It wasn’t because I disliked the team. I chose to leave because I didn’t want to work with selfish and greedy people who could negatively affect my career. I even had an invitation from Sevilla, but I decided to go far away from anything toxic and chose Vietnam instead,” he revealed.

Chibambo, the former Zesco United and Nakambala Leopards forward, said while he is not suggesting the same applies to Banda, players must prioritize career growth over “noise”.

“This may not be the reason behind Lameck’s movements, but as a player grows and starts making an impact, we want to see our efforts producing real results—not just creating noise around our careers. Because when football is over, life after sport has no room for fake friendships,” he stated.

The former international also decried the dominance of foreign agents in Zambian football, saying local professionals are being sidelined.

“We have surrendered our players to foreigners, and they are making decisions about their careers as they please, while we have our own Zambian agents who sometimes struggle to get the opportunity to work with our players,”Chibambo said.

He concluded with a call to action for stakeholders to safeguard the future of players.

“This is unfortunate. We need to protect, develop and empower our own football industry, while ensuring that our players receive the right guidance and make decisions that will benefit both their careers today and their lives after football,” Chibambo urged.