Sofiane Mahieddine, the agent of Ngagne Demba Thiam, insists there is nothing worrying about the Senegalese goalkeeper’s reduced playing time at AC Monza and believes his first call-up for the Lions came too late.
Why is Ngagne Demba Thiam, AC Monza’s first-choice goalkeeper in Serie B last season, no longer playing as much in Serie A? His representative, agent Sofiane Mahieddine, spoke out in an exclusive interview published on 18 October 2026 by Maghreb-Foot to set the record straight on his situation.
The Senegalese shot-stopper, born on 5 March 1998 in Dakar and standing 2.02 m tall, was called up for the very first time by the Lions of Teranga in September 2026 by national team coach Patrick Vieira, Le Soleil reports. A call-up his camp considers late given his qualities.
Reduced playing time, no cause for concern
On the pitch, the picture is simple: Thiam has made 3 starts and played 270 minutes since the start of the season in Italy, according to FotMob. The reason lies in the Lombardy club’s signing of an additional goalkeeper, according to AfricaFoot.
“Monza’s management signed a new goalkeeper outside the summer transfer window, a common move after promotion to the top flight. That is why Thiam has had less playing time since the start of the current season. It is not a concern. We have faith in this goalkeeper’s abilities,” Sofiane Mahieddine told Maghreb-Foot.
The agent insists the club will give the player his chance to rediscover competitive rhythm. According to him, there is no worry over the player.
A call-up that came too late
The national team side of things also features prominently in the interview. Demba Thiam was Monza’s goalkeeper in the majority of Serie B matches last season and played an active part in the club’s promotion to Serie A at the end of the 2025-2026 season, wiwsport.com points out. A run that, in his representative’s view, should have taken him to the Lions sooner.
“Thiam is an excellent goalkeeper, very talented. In my opinion, he deserved to be called up to the Senegal national team much earlier, given his great qualities,” Sofiane Mahieddine said, again in the pages of Maghreb-Foot.
The goalkeeper’s first call-up, in September 2026, therefore came at the age of 28. It remains to be seen what role he can carve out there, while he must contend with the arrival of an additional goalkeeper at Monza.
A contract until 2028
On the contractual front, the Senegalese goalkeeper is tied to AC Monza until 30 June 2028, with an option for a further year, AfricaFoot indicates.
His market value is estimated at 2 million euros, according to AfricaFoot and Transfermarkt.
The Lions’ next gathering, for the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, is scheduled for November 2026, after the Serie A season continues with Monza.