YOUNG Africans Sports Club (Yanga) President, Engineer Hersi Said, has opened up about the club’s strategic focus during the ongoing major transfer window, outlining critical priorities that must be addressed to ensure sustained success both domestically and on the continental stage in the 2025/2026 season.

Hersi (pictured) detailed that Young Africans are facing a challenging yet vital transfer window, as the club seeks to build a squad capable of retaining its domestic titles while making a deeper impact in CAF competitions.

“Our main objective is not only to continue dominating the domestic league but also to compete at the highest level in Africa. To achieve that, we must focus on three key aspects: signing experienced players, strengthening our technical bench to match the quality of the squad, and retaining our core players,” Hersi stated.

He added that despite their recent domestic success, there is still a significant responsibility to uphold the club’s winning tradition and deliver better results internationally.

“We have a debt to our fans and members to defend all the titles we won last season and to go even further in international competitions. That requires serious investment. Without investing, there is no success,” said Hersi.

Young Africans had a highly successful 2024 campaign, defending their Mainland Premier League and Federation Cup titles. They also claimed the Community Shield and Muungano Cup, which were previously held by arch-rivals Simba SC. Additionally, they won the Toyota Cup during their pre-season preparations in South Africa.

Despite these triumphs, Hersi admitted that the club’s performance on the continental stage has not met expectations, largely due to the lack of continuity and the departure of key players each season.

“We’ve had some great players over the past four years, but our international performance hasn’t matched our potential. We are always starting over with new signings because some players leave for new challenges or are sold. That disrupts consistency, which is very important in CAF competitions,” he explained.

To address this, Hersi emphasized that the current transfer window is being handled with more precision and ambition than in previous seasons.

“This is the most strategic and focused transfer window we’ve had in the last four years. We are assessing the team’s actual needs, not just signing players for the sake of it. The aim is to create a stronger foundation and ensure continuity internationally,” he said.

Young Africans are reportedly determined to retain key players whose contracts are still valid, as well as those who recently completed their terms. Hersi assured the club’s supporters that every effort is being made to keep essential talent at the club.

“We’re working hard to retain all vital players. Whether they are under contract or have just finished, we believe continuity is key. I can promise our fans that they will understand the rationale behind our signings once we begin unveiling them,” he noted.

“I believe this will be our best transfer window in recent years. The signings we are making are not only based on statistics but also on experience, leadership, and compatibility with our style of play.”

Hersi concluded by reiterating the importance of investment in all areas of the club, not just the playing squad.

“To compete and win at all levels, we must invest – be it in players, coaches, infrastructure, or management. Our goal is not only to win titles but to build a legacy and set new standards for Tanzanian football,” he said.