Who is Juma Bah? Everything Newcastle fans need to know about defensive target
Juma Bah has emerged onto Newcastle's radar as he nears a permanent move away from Man City this summer.
The centre-back was scouted by the Magpies while impressing on loan at OGC Nice from City last season and has been told that he can leave permanently this summer.
Matthias Jaissle is looking to bolster his backline options before the window closes, after taking over at Newcastle last week.
The Magpies are in the market to sign at least one new centre-back this summer as they look to improve upon the ageing core of their backline.
They could make a cut-price move for 20-year-old Bah as City plan to let him leave for an initial £15million this summer.
The 20-year-old has impressed on the continent, but is barely known on these shores despite signing for the Citizens over a year ago.
Juma Bah's rags-to-riches story so far
Bah began his footballing journey in his home country of Sierra Leone and worked in his parents' bakery while playing in a local academy.
He joined Real Valladolid on a season-long loan deal from
AIK Freetong in 2024 and made his La Liga debut in September of the same year.
Bah became the first ever Sierra Leonean player to feature in the Spanish top flight, and was a regular for the first team despite initially being signed to play in the reserves.
His rapid rise continued as he paid out his own release clause with his agent in January 2025 to move to Man City, even though he was not officially a Valladolid player at that point.
The La Liga club argued that he had failed to fulfil his contractual obligations by not turning up to training the day after announcing his own move to City, while they confirmed that they had signed him permanently on 1 January.
City confirmed that he had joined after a settlement was reached later that month, and he was immediately sent out on loan to RC Lens, where he made 10 appearances in the second half of the campaign.
Bah featured 41 times on loan at Nice last season after joining in June, making real strides as they avoided relegation in the play-offs.
Bah is right-footed and stands at six foot five inches tall, while he has made seven appearances for the Sierra Leone national team since debuting in 2024.
Bah has been praised as 'very good' by an English manager
Newcastle may turn to Bah after sources revealed to Football Insider that Chelsea had joined them in the race to sign Giorgio Scalvini.
The 20-year-old clearly has a bright future, with Will Still handing him praise after overseeing his arrival on loan at Lens last year, as he said: "His game? Very good. He has a significant physical and athletic presence.”
Sierra Leone national team boss also spoke highly of him last March, insisting that he has what it takes to succeed at the top level.
He said: "I knew something big was going to happen and he was just waiting for his opportunity. He can succeed in Europe. Manchester City bought him because they see something in him. We can see that he has potential to grow."