The sponsorship deal between one of the country’s biggest GSM operators, Africell, and the GFA first division side, Sait Matty, is on the brink of collapse, Observer Sports has reliably gathered.

The Coach Pa Suwareh Faye-led Sait Matty side and Africell entered into an open sponsorship deal in 2004, with the latter shouldering all the financial expenses of the former who also have “Africell” added to their name. However, the club’s failure to land any silverware in the past five years has compelled the sponsor to demand an explanation from the club management.

Sources close to Africell have it that the telecommunication institution is looking for other options, which include taking full ownership of the team, after their failure to make headway, though some club officials are reported to be less inclined to accept the proposal.

Efforts to reach the company’s official responsible for sports, Amat Danso, proved futile at the time of going to press, yesterday. However, Sait Matty’s secretary general, Momodou Demba, refuted the claim that the GSM company wants full ownership of the club.

He was, however, quick to add that the open sponsorship deal between the two parties may cease to exist. “It is news to me that Africell wanted full ownership of the club. What happened is that the company wants a review of our performance. They have asked us to write and submit a report on the team’s performance in the past five years. We have since written this report and submitted it, but we are yet to hear from them,” Secretary Demba said.

Asked whether there is any hope that the deal will continue, Demba said: “I don’t know for now. It may continue and it may not continue.” He added that the club feel some clubs want to the see the deal collapse in the hope that they will benefit from a similar package from the GSM company.