Gauthier Mankenda has left Riga FC and is now a free agent after his contract with the Latvian club came to an end on 30 November 2025, according to registration data confirming his move to “Without Club”. The DR Congo right winger, valued at €450,000 at the time of his departure, has not signed a new deal elsewhere and is available on a free transfer after Riga received no fee for his exit.
The 28-year-old’s status change marks the conclusion of a two-and-a-half-year spell in Latvia’s Virsliga, where he most recently represented Riga following an earlier stint with FK Liepaja. His transfer record shows a free move from Riga into free agency, underlining that this is a completed departure rather than a pending or proposed deal.
Mankenda’s career has taken him from Kosovo to Latvia, establishing him as a regular presence in smaller European leagues rather than in his home country. He first emerged in Kosovo with FC Vushtrria before earning a move to FC Prishtina, where his market value rose steadily and peaked at €200,000 in early 2021. Subsequent performances saw him attract attention from abroad, leading to his switch to Liepaja and then, in June 2023, to Riga.
His time in Latvia coincided with a steady climb in valuation, reaching €500,000 during the 2024 calendar year while at Riga before a slight drop to €450,000 shortly before his contract ended. That trajectory reflects a player considered an established professional at Virsliga level, occupying his main position on the right flank of the attack and operating predominantly on his favoured right foot.
Mankenda’s journey also highlights a distinctly international career path for a DR Congo player. Rather than featuring in his domestic league or being attached to a national-team set-up, he has built his reputation in Kosovo’s top flight and later in Latvia’s Virsliga. His previous clubs – FC Vushtrria, FC Prishtina, FK Liepaja and Riga – place him firmly in the category of an experienced campaigner in emerging European competitions, with no current club listed for either domestic or international level.
At 1.82m tall and in his prime footballing years, the winger now faces a pivotal stage in his career. With no contract tying him down and no league currently associated with his status, he is free to negotiate a move that could take him into a new country and a new competition. Any future deal would be completed without a transfer fee, lowering the financial barrier for potential suitors.
Where he goes next will shape the next chapter of a career that has already spanned multiple leagues and countries. As a free agent with recent top-flight experience and a six-figure market valuation, Mankenda’s next contract is likely to be crucial in determining his long-term prospects and the level at which he competes in the coming seasons.
