LAST UPDATE | 22 Feb
BOHEMIANS HAVE BOLSTERED their defensive options with three loan recruitments and a permanent signing ahead of Friday’s Dublin derby away to St Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park.
Centre-backs Aboubacar Keita and Jevon Mills have signed on loan from MLS club Colorado Rapids and English Championship side Hull City respectively, while full-back Luke Matheson lands in from Bolton Wanderers in England’s League One until the summer.
Bohs have also confirmed the full-time signing of centre-back Divin Isamala from Leinster Senior League club St Francis.
Aboubacar Keita, 23, joins for the remainder of the 2024 campaign. The six-foot-two centre-back previously made 37 first-team appearances for Colombus Crew in Major League Soccer and earned nine caps for the USA U20s in 2019.
Keita was traded to the Colorado Rapids in January 2022 in exchange for $300,000 in General Allocation Money but missed the entirety of the season with an ACL injury. After recovering from the resultant surgery, he played for Colorado’s reserves in 2023.
“Aboubacar is a really exciting signing for us,” said Bohs boss Declan Devine. “The club has been trying to get a top left-sided centre-back for a number of years now and Aboubacar really fits the bill.
“He is a player who I believe has the potential to go very far in this game. He has pace, power, experience and bags of ability, and I am over the moon that we have finally got him in.
“He is extremely highly rated at Colorado Rapids and they have invested seriously in his development, which will be of huge benefit to us this season.”
Hull centre-half Jevon Mills, 20, is a former Republic of Ireland U19 international and has previously gained first-team experience in the lower tiers of Scottish and English football. He joins on loan until June.
Also on board until June is Bolton defender Matheson, who recently signed a new contract with parent club Bolton. The 21-year-old is a right-back by trade but can cover both full-back positions. He previously represented England at youth level.
Centre-half Divin Ismala, meanwhile, has signed his first League of Ireland contract after turning heads for some time in the Leinster Senior League.
Ismala agreed terms in principle with then-Championship club Blackpool last March after impressing manager Mick McCarthy while on trial from Liberties club St Francis.
McCarthy, however, was sacked a fortnight later and Ismala remained in Ireland, where he will now begin his professional career with Bohs.
