COLERAINE FC can confirm that three of the club’s bright talents will be spending the 2025-26 campaign on loan at Championship clubs…

The moves will see the talented trio of Aidan Tejada, Alfie Gaston and Senan Devine earn more senior experience at Institute, Limavady United and H&W Welders respectively.

All three players will remain part of the club’s programme whilst playing competitive football for their new clubs. The deals all include a call-back option in the January transfer window.

Tejada made his debut for the club in April 2024 against Glentoran and has amassed five appearances in all competitions, helping the Bannsiders lift the North-West Senior Cup last season.

The L/Derry native also has caps at youth level for Northern Ireland, as well as shining in several games in the recent Centenary Shield.

Meanwhile, Gaston has appeared 17 times for the first-team since making the breakthrough at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

The 17-year-old has made his way up the ranks since joining Coleraine Academy, where he helped the club win its first ever U20s title, as well as tasting success in the SuperCupNI tournament and in the Centenary Shield.

Speaking about the Tejada’s move first, boss Ruaidhri Higgins said: “I know the Institute manager Peter Hutton really well and it’s part of the reason I like to send players we have really high hopes for to clubs where I know the manager and the conditions they are going to go into.

“I think Peter’s a really good man first and foremost, and he will lead Aidan in the right direction.

“He’s got a bright future but he needs to play to become battle-hardened, and to take the next step, you need to play as much men’s football as possible.

“Hopefully, he will get that at Institute. There’s no guarantees either as he’ll have to work extremely hard but hopefully he gets that at Institute and then returns in a much better place.

“As a group of staff, we feel that’s the right way to go. The expectation at this club has now changed so it’s more beneficial to bring him into our squad when he’s more experienced.”

Aidan Tejada will work under Peter Hutton at Institute.

On Gaston’s move to Limavady United, the Coleraine chief stated: “Moving to Limavady is much more beneficial for Alfie than say five games for us and a lot of games for the U20s.

“Getting into physical encounters on the pitch is a big part of it and it honestly helps.

“Alfie is a talented boy…but he’s had a long, long period out since last November. He’s missed an awful lot of football.

“I know Paul Owens, as will the Coleraine fans, and he’ll be good for Alfie. It’s about getting out, getting experience in different types of matches, coming up against 35-year-old grown men who have been around the block – that’s where you learn the dark arts.

“Alfie is another one that we have high hopes for and we feel he can really push on and become part of our squad.”

Alfie Gaston (right) will spend the 2025-26 campaign on loan at Limavady United.

Also making the move to the Championship is local boy Devine who has 25 appearances for the first-team to his name.

The Loreto College pupil lifted the North-West Senior Cup last season and had a number of high-profile performances for Northern Ireland U19s and in the Centenary Shield.

Boss Higgins believes his move to the Welders under the watchful eye of Paul Kee is the perfect move for everyone involved.

He said: “Senan is keen to go and play.

“A move to the Welders will suit his style in terms of how he plays.

“I’ve known Paul Kee since I was seven-years-old, I know his philosophy of the game and he’s really, really good at developing young players.

“How Senan plays will be really beneficial with how Paul and we work.

“Whoever goes out on loan will remain part of our programme…but as I’ve said previously, learning the dark arts and competing against real physical players will have its benefits.”

Everyone at Coleraine FC naturally wishes all three players well for the season ahead.