Former Lincoln City defender MJ Kamson-Kamara has earned his first senior international call-up, joining Sierra Leone’s squad for their forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The 20-year-old graduated from the Imps academy, earning a pro deal before he left City for Hearts in the summer, and has been selected for the fixtures against Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea.
As reported by the Hearts Standard, MJ is part of a 25-man squad that also includes fellow newcomers Azeem Abdulai of Hibernian and Cambridge United’s Ra’ees Bangura-Williams. His selection follows a successful first start for loan club Kilmarnock, where he featured at right-back in Tuesday night’s victory over Hibs at Easter Road.
It is another significant step for a player whose development we have followed through several loan spells. Having previously been with Bromley and the XYZ Academy, MJ signed his first professional contract with us in February 2023, shortly after turning 17.
His early experience of senior football came at Barwell, before a move up to National League North with Peterborough Sports. During the latter spell, he also made his competitive first-team debut for the Imps, coming off the bench against Grimsby Town in the EFL Trophy in October 2024.
Last season brought a move across the Irish Sea to Glentoran, where he established himself in the side and finished with five goals in 31 appearances across all competitions. That spell proved an important one, putting the young defender in the shop window ahead of his summer departure.
We offered MJ a new contract, but he joined Hearts on a four-year deal running until the summer of 2030, with City receiving a six-figure compensation fee. MJ subsequently made an appearance against Benfica for Hearts, but a loan move to Kilmarnock followed to give him further opportunities for regular senior football. He has now added a promising first start at Rugby Park’s club to that experience, albeit away at Easter Road and on the right of the defence.
Despite making just one competitive first-team appearance for us, MJ has continued to progress through the opportunities his loan spells have provided. We will now wait to see whether that first international call-up becomes a first senior cap during the forthcoming break.
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