'English Premier League and Championship interest' in Caley Thistle's Musa Dibaga but goalkeeper could prolong Inverness stay
Goalkeeper Musa Dibaga could stay at Caley Thistle – despite interest stretching to the English Premier League and English Championship, according to his agent.
The 25-year-old has been a revelation since being snapped up by ex-ICT manager Duncan Ferguson last August after leaving Bo'ness United in the Lowland League.
Inverness were in turmoil following their relegation from the Championship last summer and needed someone to challenge Dundee United loanee Jack Newman, who had come in after the departure of Mark Ridgers.
Ferguson, advised by assistant Gary Bollan and keeper coach Stuart Garden, granted a two-week trial to eager Dibaga, who was soon handed a one-year deal.
And 14 clean sheets in 32 appearances for ICT showed the consistency which saw him called up for Gambia's recent World Cup qualifiers. Although he didn't feature, he's firmly in the Scorpions' plans.
Inverness are in administration with owner-in-waiting Alan Savage waiting on approval from shareholders to accept his £800,000 offer.
The club cannot enter talks with current players or transfer targets until they exit administration, which Savage hopes will happen imminently.
Dibaga, named in the League One team of the season and the ICT fans' player of the year, faces three months on the sidelines due to a hamstring tear.
And, speaking exclusively to The Press and Journal, Dibaga's agent Mark Agg-Jones – founder of agency firm AJ 100. – explained why he sees Inverness as the ideal fit for the goalkeeper should their off-field matters be resolved.
He said: 'Musa and I have a joint vision – for him to have 90 league games under his belt at the age of 27.
'That's a picture that Scott Kellacher buys into. If he achieves those 90 games by then, the world is his oyster.
'He'll be an experienced goalkeeper, who has seen it and done it and, more importantly, done it under unique conditions.
'Very few professionals would have to navigate administration and the change of manager under the risk of your job – the whole shooting match within a very short period of time.
'This period has been absolutely key to his development.
'For us, if that future is at Inverness, that's great. I'm fully expecting the club to put a decent offer on the table as soon as they come out of administration.
'I don't want Musa to go to a big club where he won't play. We need Musa playing week in, week out.
'We want him to be a major part of any club he's at, and ideally that will be at Inverness.
'Hopefully Alan Savage will get administration out the way, keep the club trading, and he and the board can get the players looked after. If that happens, everything will be hunky-dory.
'It would be some story if the club can go for promotion to the Championship next season.'
That 90-match goal for Dibaga is why, according to Bournemouth-based Agg-Jones, the chance to chase a big-money move to the highest divisions in England are not yet being entertained.
He said: 'Musa's attracted interest from really high levels, including one club from the English Premier League, which is a real feather in his cap.
'There has been interest from the English Championship and well as other lower levels.
'But the last thing we want is Musa to be at a big club sitting on the bench. He doesn't want to do that.
'Does he want a flash in the pan career where he can cash in for a couple of years, or does he want a legacy? People to say 'remember how good Musa Dibaga was'. He wants that – that's so vital.
'He didn't think international football would ever be for him. He's so grateful for that opportunity. It's clear he will get more of that.
'International football was not on his agenda. He didn't know where his future would be a year ago.'
On April 25, 2009, Bournemouth's 2-1 win over Grimsby Town kept the now Premier League side in the English Football League.
And Agg-Jones said that brush with disaster for his chosen club, the Cherries, offers an extra lure for him to do what he can to assist troubled ICT, including arranging for three players to go on trial at ICT earlier this year.
In March, Caley Jags head coach, chief executive Charlie Christie and the coaching staff ran the rule over Cumbernauld Colts goalkeeper Yan Gromov, right-back Diste Camara Sylla from Civil Service Strollers, and forward Malick Diakite from North West Counties League side Squires Gate.
Agg-Jones added: 'Yes, I'm an agent and I have a duty to my clients, but that extends to the club.
'We're continuing to help the club, with a number of trialists going up there this year. Anything I can do with the limitations I have to help Inverness, I will do.
'I want to help as I believe Caley Thistle is a club that should aim to get back to the Scottish Premiership, and even aim for Europe again in years to come.
'It's close to my heart for a couple of reasons.
'One is because they gave our guys a chance, they were open to it.
'Secondly, my own club (Bournemouth) was in dire straits not so long ago. I was at the game with my dad where we were going to drop out of the Football League and the bucket was being passed around.
'Steve Fletcher got our scrappy goal and we got away with it. The rest is history.
'Incidentally, there is the link with Ryan Christie. I don't know Ryan personally, but I love watching him play. That link is self-evident between the two clubs.
'I'm looking every matchday for the results from Bournemouth and Inverness – the similarities are striking.'
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