All you need to know about busy JPL transfer window
Published:Tuesday | September 17, 2024 | 12:10 AM
THE JAMAICA Premier League’s (JPL) off-season has been extremely active, with movement of players all across the league.
The most active clubs in the market have been last season’s beaten finalist Mount Pleasant, Waterhouse FC, Arnett, Vere United, and Dunbeholden.
St Ann based Mount Pleasant have done a complete overhaul with no less than 10 players coming in, inclusive of two overseas recruits in Cameroonian Wilfried Mbougain from UMS de Loum, and Panamanian Jonathan Ceceña from CD Árabe Unido.
They have also added Brazilian Jean Rios Ferreira ftom Montego Bay United, Kevin Graham from Dunbeholden, Kyle Ming and Gadail Irving from Cavalier, Jahshaun Anglin from Harbour View FC, Odane Pennycooke from Tivoli, Alex Marshall from Portmore United FC, and Nicholas Nelson from Dunbeholden.
Waterhouse have also been quite busy, with almost as many imports as Mount Pleasant.
JPL 2021’s topscorer Atapharoy Bygrave, who spent the last two seasons as a bit part player at Mount Pleasant, will look to lead the attack with last season’s topscorer Javane Bryan, whose move to Vietnamese club Quan Nam FC fell through due to a failed medical.
They have also added further experience in attack with Nicholas Hamilton from Cavalier and Martin Davis from Portmore.
The other players added to the roster are Leonardo Jebbison, Ky-mani Campbell, Rushawn Amos, Zackiya Wilkes, Junior McGregor and Christopher Matthews.
Dunbeholden, under new coach Philip Williams, have also been quite active. They have lost some quality players in Marlon Allen to Arnett, Nelson to Mount Pleasant, Zackiya Wilkes to Waterhouse, and Devonte Hodges to Harbour View.
However, they have picked up Guyanese attacker Neron Barrow, Malachi Douglas, Dwight Merrick, Donovan Segree, Gerald Neil Jr, Chantamoy Taylor, Gavin Burton, and Richard Brown.
Arnett’s big additions
Arnett Gardens have also made a number of big additions including the returning Marlon Allen, Alwin Strachan, Rojay Williams from Vere, Shamari Dyer from Harbour View, Richard Andrews, Alton Lewis from Tivoli and USL2 player Odolph Brown from Tolledo Villa FC.
Vere United have also added international flavour to their squad with Trinidadian midfielder Matthew Woo Ling and attackers Ravi Coates of Guyana and David Juba of Grenada coming in.
The season will also mark the return of Kyle Butler, out of retirement after four years. The Lenworth Hyde-coached team has also added Odane Murray, Alex Gayle, Michael Forbes, Michael Graham, goalkeeper Shakur Adair, and Marquise Reid.
The club’s topscorer from last season, Kemar Beckford, is now playing in Guyana, while Javier Brown has moved to Portmore.
Montego Bay United made just a few additions to their squad under Argentinian coach Rodolfo Zapata, but the pieces they added were all quality.
Three of the players, Dylan Zane from Conneticut College, Trinidadian Jordan Britoe, Guyanese goalkeeper Aaron Enill, are overseas imports while last season’s Concacaf Caribbean Cup golden boot winner, Shaniel Thomas, comes over from Cavalier and national midfielder Demario Phillips from Mount Pleasant.
Portmore United might have lost Alex Marshall to Mount Pleasant. However, they have taken in three top-rated midfielders in Melvin Doxilly, Ramon Howell and Romeo Guthrie from the St Ann club to boost their squad.
Harbour View also lost a quality piece in Jahshaun Anglin to Mount Pleasant. But former Lime Hall captain Damani Sewell, Oquassa Chong, and Devonte Hodges have been great additions.
Chapelton Maroons returned to the league after a one-year absence with O’Neil Thompson at the helm. In their quest to avoid another relegation, the Clarendon club has brought in Brazilian goalkeeper William Ferreira from MoBay, dead-ball specialist Andrew Vanzie from Humble Lion, defender Gawain Austin from Mount Pleasant, St Lucian player Shanoi Evans, and Malique Stephens from Arnett.
The other promoted team, Racing United, has only added Andre Leslie of Waterhouse, but has been able to keep hold of striker Raheem Edwards, who was rumoured to be on the Mount Pleasant radar.
After a fantastic first season with Tivoli, Jerome Waite has brought in no new players but has released key defenders Odane Pennycooke to Mount Pleasant and Lewis to Arnett.
Humble Lion only had Vanzie leaving and goalkeeper Peter Harrison of Molynes coming in.
Defending champions Cavalier sold defenders Ming and Irving to Mount Pleasant but now have Trinidadian winger Kaïle Auvray and Dahmani Miller from Mount Pleasant, as well as O’Neil Bryan.