Sariang Kassama: Gambian striker completes free transfer from Sterparo to Rieti

Gambian centre-forward Sariang Kassama has completed a move from Sterparo to Rieti on a free transfer, with the deal officially registered to begin on 2026-07-04. The 27-year-old joins the Lazio-based club after a season in the Italian lower leagues and is now listed as a Rieti player, ending his spell at Sterparo.

The transfer has been finalised without a fee, according to the registration details, with Kassamas current market value not specified at the time of the move. The contract length has not been disclosed, with no end date recorded, leaving open the possibility that he could become a free agent again when this deal expires.

Kassamas switch keeps him in Italy, where he has spent his entire senior career, but secures him a place at a new club in a competition listed as N/A rather than any named domestic division. Born in Serrekunda, The Gambia, and holding Gambian nationality, the left-footed attacker will continue playing abroad rather than in his home country, extending a long-standing journey through the Italian game.

The forward arrives at Rieti as an experienced operator in regional and lower-league football. Standing at 1.76m and operating primarily as an attack-minded centre-forward, he offers flexibility at the top end of the pitch. While recent season statistics and match-by-match contributions are not detailed in the available data, his profile has been sufficiently valued for Rieti to secure him on a permanent deal rather than a loan.

Kassamas career path underlines his persistence in Italys competitive semi-professional and lower professional tiers. After emerging from Budoni Youth, he stepped up to Calcio Budoni in 2017, where his market value was once assessed at 25,000 during successive updates in 2018 and early 2019. That early valuation marked him out as a promising attacking asset in the Italian pyramid.

A move to Carbonia Calcio followed in 2019, including a loan stint with Arzachena Academy and a subsequent return. At Arzachena, his market value again rose to 25,000 in 2021 before dropping to 10,000 later that year, reflecting fluctuating perceptions of his standing in the market. By the time he joined SS Villacidrese, and later Audace 1919, his recorded value had fallen to zero, and no updated figure is listed for his more recent clubs.

From 2021 onwards, Kassama became a familiar name across a series of Sardinian and regional Italian sides, moving from Carbonia Calcio to Villacidrese, then Audace 1919, Iglesias, Casteltermini, Villasimius and FBC Calangianus, before signing for Sterparo in 2025. Each move has kept him within Italy, reinforcing his status as a seasoned campaigner in the countrys lesser-known competitions rather than a player circulating in The Gambias domestic leagues.

His latest transfer to Rieti on 2026-07-04, agreed as a free move with no published market valuation, places him at another historic Italian club where squad depth and experience are at a premium. Without detailed statistics or recent match data available, it is unclear how he performed in his final outings for Sterparo, but his continued recruitment suggests coaches still see value in his movement, work rate and knowledge of the Italian game.

With the start date of his contract confirmed as 2026-07-04 and no expiry date publicly recorded, Kassama enters a phase of his career that could determine whether he re-establishes a market value or slips back towards free-agent status once more. How he adapts at Rieti, and whether he can turn his extensive experience into consistent impact, will play a decisive role in shaping his reputation and future opportunities in Italian football.