Ligue 1 centre-back eyes Manchester City call-up with Pep Guardiola’s squad for 2025 FIFA Club World Cup | OneFootball

On-loan Manchester City defender Juma Bah is eyeing up an appearance for the club at this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup, according to reports.

The reigning Premier League champions secured the services of the highly-rated African defender in controversial fashion during the January transfer window, taking the player from Real Valladolid for a low-cost fee.

In direct response, Manchester City firmly denied allegations made by Valladolid in a public statement surrounding the transfer suggesting that the club had encouraged or forced the player to terminate his own contract.

On the same subject, it was reported that Bah himself had paid the £5.1 million minimum release fee clause to terminate his youth agreement with the La Liga side and as a result, seal a switch to the Etihad Stadium – money which was later reimbursed by City.

Upon officially signing a contract with the Etihad side, a statement issued by the Premier League giants confirmed a loan agreement with French outfit Lens until the end of the campaign, with a decision on the longer term future to be made in the coming summer.

Now, according to the information of journalist Alan Nixon, Juma Bah is hoping for a FIFA Club World Cup call from his parent club Manchester City this summer, having impressed during his loan with Lens to date.

With the Sierra Leone international centre-back due to return to the Etihad ahead of next season, the youngster is said to have his fingers crossed for an earlier call and a chance to impress Pep Guardiola as soon as possible.

From the perspective of his current club Lens, who sold Abdukodir Khusanov to City in January, the French side are said to want to keep Bah on loan next season although the player’s priority is playing at the Etihad Stadium, or elsewhere in the Premier League for the season.

Bah is one of a number of highly-rated defensive options at Pep Guardiola’s disposal as he and Manchester City officials look to build a squad capable of bringing the club back to its highly-competitive best after a season of disappointment.

The aforementioned Uzbek defender Khusanov was brought into the club at the midway point of the campaign alongside Brazilian youngster Vitor Reis, while there is good feeling around the likes fo Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, Rico Lewis, and Stephe Mfuni at the club.

City are also still expected to bolster defensive options by investing in the full- back position this summer, with Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie and Juventus’ Andrea Cambiaso labelled as options admired by the club ahead of the transfer market reopening.