Real Valladolid have accused Manchester City of “appearing to advise” their centre-back Juma Bah to “breach his contract” in order to sign for the Premier League side.
The 18-year-old joined Valladolid initially on a loan deal this summer from Sierra Leone club AIK Freetong — which the Spanish club say was made permanent on January 1 — signing a youth-team contract but being promoted to the first-team squad in September after playing one match for their reserve team.
A Valladolid statement on Wednesday said that Bah had refused improved contract offers and had refused to sign the player’s license with the first team, which would have automatically increased the mandatory release clause that is included in all contracts in Spain.
That statement adds the RFEF (Spanish FA) has told Valladolid that Bah has already deposited the required amount to terminate his contract as per his current release clause. Valladolid say they reserve the right to take legal and sporting action.
𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗗𝗢 𝗢𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟
Abdulai Juma Bah.https://t.co/XwU4wdk1mq— Real Valladolid C.F. (@realvalladolid) January 22, 2025
Valladolid said City had made them aware of their interest in the defender the previous day, January 21, and that Bah subsequently did not report for training on January 22. The Spanish side added they will seek legal advice over the centre-back’s “breach of his contractual commitments” and they will “initiate disciplinary action”. They allege that City “appears to have advised the player to take this route”, which puts them in a “defenceless position”.
Manchester City did not respond to The Athletic’s request for comment.
Bah has made 12 appearances in La Liga for Valladolid, who are bottom of the standings with 15 points from their opening 20 matches — five points from safety.
Valladolid are owned by former Brazil striker Ronaldo, who has had a 51 per cent share in the club since 2018. They have been relegated twice from La Liga under his ownership, the second of which was met with supporter protests, but were promoted back to the top flight last season.
City have already signed two centre-backs in the January transfer window, having signed Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens and Vitor Reis from Palmeiras. John Stones, Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji, Josko Gvardiol and Nathan Ake are the other central defensive options in Pep Guardiola’s squad.
(Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
