MUSTAPHA BUNDU

Born: 28 February 1997

Came from: Anderlecht (Belgium)   Went to:

First game: 23 September 2023   Last game: 09 November 2024

Appearances: 41 (14/27)   Goals: 4

Born in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, Bundu won a place at the city’s Craig Bellamy Football Academy in 2010, a charity established by the former Newcastle United and Welsh international that offered the country’s underprivileged children the chance to reach their true potential through football and education. In the summer of 2011, 14-year-old Bundu was invited to travel to the UK and train with Cardiff City’s under-15 squad. He followed this over the next two years with summer spells at Liverpool and Manchester City.

In September 2014, after turning down an offer of a scholarship in America, Bundu accepted a place at Hartpury College, near Bristol. He soon set the college football scene alight with electrifying performances, spearheading Hartpury’s charge to English Schools FA Cup glory in the 2015-16 season by scoring 18 goals in just six games in that competition. He also enjoyed his first experience of international football, representing England Schools' under-18s.

Bundu spent Hartpury holiday time with a friend’s family in Cornwall. In August 2015, whilst also on Hereford’s books, he dual-signed for Newquay AFC to play a game against Ivybridge Town, and equalised twice for Newquay, with a second that will live long in the locals’ memory. With the clock ticking into added time, the 6ft 2in right-winger retrieved possession, weaved at speed past defenders and, from 25 yards, curled a shot into the net’s top corner.

That same season and whilst in his final year at Hartpury College, Bundu experienced men’s football at Hereford FC, for whom he scored 26 times in a single Midland League season. However, on leaving Hartpury, UK work permit restrictions forced him to seek opportunities abroad. Having trained with Chelsea’s under-21s in December 2015 and catching the eye of several top-level clubs in Europe, he began a trial with Danish Superliga side, Aarhus GF, in early August 2016 and signed a one-year deal at the end of the month, a contract that was extended until 2021 just a few months later.

After 109 games and 21 goals in Denmark’s second largest city, Bundu signed for Belgian top-flight side Anderlecht in August 2020 for a fee, reported to be three million Euros, that broke AGF's record for a fee received. Just six months and nine games later, the 23-year-old returned to Denmark to join FC Copenhagen on loan for the rest of the 2020-21 campaign. A loan back to AGF followed in 2021-22, and in September 2022 he began a loan season with FC Andorra in the Spanish Segunda Division.

At 26 and with 14 appearances and three goals for his country, the Sierra Leone international, released by Anderlecht, signed a two-year contract at Home Park on transfer deadline day at the beginning of September 2023.