Man City potentially face further legal challenges following accusations from Spanish club Real Valladolid over their handling of the transfer of 18-year-old defender Juma Bah.
The Sierra Leonean talent, who has been a standout performer at Valladolid, is at the center of a dispute that could further embroil City in legal repercussions.
Real Valladolid accuse Manchester City of “taking advantage” of the youngster
Valladolid claim Man City influenced Bah’s decision to activate his €6m release clause, a move they believe is in breach of transfer regulations.
As reported The Telegraphthe Spanish club accuse City of “targeting” Bah, a practice that involves approaching a player without the consent of his current club. Valladolid maintain that City’s alleged interference caused Bah to leave prematurely, thus causing a legal headache.
Bah, who joined Valladolid in August 2024 on loan from Freetonians SLIFA, was initially featured in the reserve squad but quickly earned a place in the first team.
The Sierra Leonean made history in September 2024 by becoming the first player from his country to appear in La Liga. Since then, Bah has established himself as a key figure for Valladolid, making 13 appearances in all competitions.
However, tensions surrounding his contract grew when Bah reportedly declined an offer to renew his deal, which would have increased his release clause. On 21 January, Bah and his agent announced his departure after triggering the clause, leading Valladolid to allege that Man City had orchestrated the move.
Manchester City is no stranger to controversy and legal trouble. Manchester City are currently embroiled in a major case after being accused of breaching multiple financial regulations. They allegedly misrepresented financial information for every season from 2009-10 through 2017-18. A verdict on the ongoing case is expected in the coming months, with possible severe punishments aroundincluding fines, deduction of points or even withdrawal of previous titles if the allegations are confirmed.
In addition to that, City recently launched legal action against the Premier League on its related party transaction rules, winning the court challenge.
While Manchester City continue to battle legal issues behind the scenes, their performance on the pitch has also dipped this season.
The defending Premier League champions are in an unexpected position, sitting fifth in the league on 38 points, already six points behind second-placed Arsenal and third-placed Nottingham Forest on 44 points and 12 points from Liverpool, ranked first. who have a game in hand. City have already suffered six defeats this season, a stark contrast to their usual dominance.
Their struggles in the Premier League have been mirrored in the Champions League, where they are on the brink of elimination from the league stage. A 4-2 defeat by PSG has left Pep Guardiola’s side with everything to do in their final game against Club Brugge to secure a place in the play-offs.
Man City’s upcoming clash with Chelsea
City’s next challenge comes this weekend when they face Chelsea in a crucial Premier League game. Under new manager Enzo Maresca, Chelsea have been pretty decent, sitting in 4th place just two points ahead of City. However, the Blues’ recent form has been mixed, with two defeats, two draws and one win in their last five games.
Despite their respective struggles, the match is expected to be an exciting encounter. Maresca will return to the Etihad to face his former mentor Pep Guardiola, with both teams fighting desperately to finish in the top four. For those who want to attend, information How to buy tickets for Manchester City vs Chelsea is available here.
With legal challenges mounting and their performances on the pitch lacking, City are in a bit of a crisis, both on and off the pitch.
