PSG horror show highlights Pep Guardiola's need for more bodies - as Spaniards slam Man City's pursuit of teenage defender
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The twists of this fraught season continue for Manchester City after Real Valladolid threw an inflammatory accusation that January target Juma Bah had been encouraged to break his contract. A lengthy statement from the La Liga side dropped just as Pep Guardiola was putting the finishing touches to his team in their Paris hotel.
![[Bah expressed his desire to break his contract and did not turn up for training 24 hours later]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/22/21/94409765-14314951-image-a-83_1737583140431.jpg)
And the contents were meaty, Valladolid claiming that Bah – a central defender from Sierra Leone – was ‘supported and guided’ by the Premier League champions to opt against turning up for training on Wednesday. The saga is complicated by the 18-year-old featuring for Valladolid on loan from AIK Freetong, with the Spaniards exercising a clause to turn the move permanent earlier this month. But given his age, Bah remains on a youth contract of an estimated £2,500 a week – rather than full professional terms – and that severely impacts the fee payable by City.
![[The accusation is another twist in a fraught season for Pep Guardiola's struggling side]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/22/22/94409917-14314951-image-a-85_1737583512085.jpg)
It’s thought that he is currently available at around £5million but that would almost triple were he to pen a new deal. Bah informed the club on Tuesday he wanted to break his contract and City attempted to enter negotiations with Valladolid on the same day. He then didn’t turn up 24 hours later.
![[Man City suffered a 4-2 defeat to PSG on Wednesday to highlight the need for fresh faces]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/22/22/94410807-14314951-image-a-87_1737584601765.jpg)
City have not commented on the statement, which read: ‘The player's intention, supposedly supported and guided by Manchester City and his agent, has caused great disappointment and indignation within Real Valladolid, who welcomed Juma Bah with open arms and gave him the opportunity of a lifetime.’.
![[Man City have already signed defenders Abdukodir Khusanov, left, and Vitor Reis, right]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/22/22/94389897-14314951-The_defending_champions_have_already_made_two_additions_in_defen-a-84_1737583279494.jpg)
