Recently, an unnamed League One club have had two bids rejected for Salford City defender Haji Mnoga, with the Ammies determined to keep hold of the Tanzania international.
It has now been reported by Alan Nixon that City are the unnamed club who lodged the offers for the 23-year-old, as first reported by Football Insider. The right-back, who began his career with Portsmouth, featured 33 times in League Two last season after joining Salford permanently in August 2024.
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Salford recently triggered a one-year extension in Mnoga’s contract, keeping him under terms until the summer of 2026. City’s interest does raise some questions, given that it is a left-back we want, rather than a right-back. However, it is also the case that Darikwa probably won’t complete a Saturday/Tuesday schedule.
Mnoga came through Portsmouth’s youth system after joining in 2008, making his senior debut at just 16 in an EFL Trophy win at Crawley Town. That appearance made him the club’s second-youngest post-war debutant. He went on to make sporadic first-team appearances, including his league debut in a 3–1 win at Sincil Bank in 2020.
After signing a new three-year deal in 2021, he had a string of loan moves, including spells at Bromley, Weymouth, Gillingham, and Aldershot Town. He left Pompey in the summer of 2024 after 16 years at the club. Mnoga joined Salford City that August and quickly nailed down a starting role, making 33 league appearances in 2024/25. His form saw the club activate a one-year extension to keep him until 2026.
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Internationally, he represented England U17s before switching to Tanzania, where he made his senior debut in 2022. Still only 23, he already boasts over 100 senior appearances.
It remains to be seen whether we have returned with a third offer, or indeed if it is that third offer which has triggered Nixon’s report. It does feel like the sort of move we could make, looking for a cut-price purchase given the player’s contract situation.
City are expected to be active over the coming weeks as they build a squad to challenge for the top six once again, with defensive reinforcements likely high on the list of priorities.