Young Defender Juma Bah Leaves Valladolid for Manchester City

VALLADOLID, Spain — Juma Bah, the 18-year-old Senegalese defender, has left Real Valladolid after triggering his €6 million release clause, sparking controversy as he heads to Manchester City. The move has drawn criticism from Valladolid, who claim the City Football Group advised Bah to exploit a legal loophole to avoid a higher transfer fee.

Bah, who made 13 appearances for Valladolid’s first team, was under a youth contract, allowing him to leave for a reduced fee. The club expressed frustration in an official statement, accusing Manchester City of undermining their position. “The club has been left defenseless after rejecting higher offers,” the statement read, adding that Bah had refused to sign a professional contract, which would have increased his release clause.

Manchester City plans to loan Bah to French club Lens, where he will replace defender Abdukodir Khusanov. Valladolid officials are attempting to negotiate a fairer deal with City, but the player’s departure appears imminent.

Meanwhile, Valladolid has also seen the departure of midfielder Joel del Pino, who joins San Mateo in Spain’s Tercera RFEF. The club continues to navigate a challenging transfer window, balancing financial constraints with the need to retain key players.

In other transfer news, Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has extended his contract until 2026, while Fenerbahçe has secured the signing of Milan Škriniar under the guidance of manager José Mourinho. The Turkish club confirmed Škriniar’s arrival in Istanbul, where he will finalize the move.

Elsewhere, Napoli is pursuing Borussia Dortmund‘s Karim Adeyemi, and Juventus has made an offer to Chelsea for Portuguese defender Renato Veiga. The transfer market remains active as clubs across Europe seek to strengthen their squads ahead of the second half of the season.