Man City transfer news: Defender ‘will leave on loan’ this summer amid interest from five clubs

Manchester City are reportedly planning to loan out teenage defender Juma Bah in the summer transfer window.

Following the arrival of new director of football Hugo Viana, Bah was signed by the Citizens in the January transfer window from Real Valladolid.

After beginning his career in his native Sierra Leone, the 19-year-old seamlessly adapted to life in La Liga with Valladolid and made a notable impression during a six-month spell in Spain.

Standing at a whopping 6ft 5in, Bah started 11 of his 13 La Liga appearances for Valladolid before penning a long-term agreement with Man City and moving on loan to French outfit Lens.

Bah joined Lens following the departure of Abdukodir Khusanov to Man City for a reported £33.5m and he started eight of their final 10 Ligue 1 fixtures, helping them keep four clean sheets and finish the campaign eighth in the table.

The towering centre-back has now returned to Manchester and posted an image outside the Etihad Stadium on Instagram earlier this week, but journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that he will leave City on loan this summer.

Southampton leading race for in-demand Bah?

Romano adds that Man City’s sister club Girona are among the clubs who are being ‘assessed’ as a potential destination for Bah in the 2025-26 season.

A separate report from Africa Foot, via Sports Witness, claims that newly-promoted Premier League side Leeds United and relegated Southampton are among the clubs chasing Bah.

Leeds were crowned champions of the Championship last season, while Southampton finished rock bottom of the Premier League and return to the second tier with new head coach Will Still, who worked with Bah during his time at Lens last season.

Bah is also said to have attracted interest from French side Paris FC and German outfit FC Koln, who have secured promotion to Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga respectively.

As things stand, it is understood that Southampton are ‘in pole position’ to win the race for Bah, with the Saints already in ongoing discussions to secure his services.

Bah is one of several players who appears to be heading for the Etihad exit door, with the likes of Jack Grealish, Kyle Walker and James McAtee all facing uncertain futures, but new captain Bernardo Silva has confirmed that he will be staying at City this summer.

Written by
Oliver Thomas