Star Sport Academy in Talks with Turkish Giants Beşiktaş for Global Football Partnership

Star Sport Academy is exploring a potential collaboration with Turkish football powerhouse Beşiktaş JK, in what could be a transformative step for youth football development in Sierra Leone.

The prospective partnership aims to connect local talent with European football pathways and enhance coaching and technical development.

The announcement follows a productive official visit to Istanbul by the academy’s Chairman and Founder, Ing. Yankuba Jusu Tarawally, widely known as “Lux Cee Note.” During the visit, Tarawally held strategic discussions at Beşiktaş’s Nevzat Demir Facilities to establish a long-term technical and developmental relationship.

Key representatives from Beşiktaş involved in the discussions included Serdar Topaktepe, Director of the Beşiktaş Academy, and Yagiz Berke, Director of External Relations. The talks focused on creating a framework for knowledge exchange, coaching development, and direct pathways for Star Sport Academy’s top prospects to gain exposure within the Turkish Süper Lig system.

This initiative builds on Star Sport Academy’s previous partnership with Turkish club Antalyaspor, which enabled several young Sierra Leonean players to travel for trials. A collaboration with Beşiktaş a club with a world-class youth system and regular participation in European competitions would further position Star Sport Academy as a premier hub for talent identification in West Africa.

“This prospective collaboration aims to promote talent development, knowledge exchange, and long-term football growth,” the academy said in a statement. “Once finalized, it is expected to open new avenues for young athletes and international exposure.”

Founded in 2022, Star Sport Academy has rapidly grown, acquiring 10 acres for a dedicated mini-stadium and competing in the Sierra Leone Premier League. Under the leadership of Head Coach Amidu Karim, who also serves as coach of the Leone Stars national team, the academy is nurturing some of the country’s brightest young talents, many of whom are regulars in national youth squads.

As talks continue, the Sierra Leonean football community remains optimistic that a partnership with Beşiktaş could provide a long-awaited “bridge to Europe” for the nation’s promising young footballers.