Lyon to secure Manchester City signing after attempts to loan FOUR other of Pep Guardiola’s stars | OneFootball

Juma Bah is expected to make a decision on his next temporary club for the upcoming season following conversations with his entourage and Manchester City.

When City officials forked out a €6 million fee to acquire the young defender from Spanish outfit Real Valladolid, they did so without a spot in their first-team squad for the 19-year-old, given the arrivals of Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis in the same winter transfer window.

Club bosses swiftly arranged a loan deal with RC Lens where Bah would go on to make 10 appearances including eight starts for the French side. However, as the Sierra Leonean youngster makes his way back to the Etihad Stadium, he will be sent back out on loan.

There has been several weeks and months of uncertainty as to where the teenage prospect could shine during the forthcoming season, with some reports tipping a move back to Spain with Girona, or perhaps elsewhere in English football.

However, now there is an understanding from some quarters that French giants Olympique Lyonnais – who sold Rayan Cherki to Manchester City this month – have emerged as the front runner for Juma Bah’s next loan.

As reported by French newspaper L’Equipe, a loan for the Sierra Leone international was something discussed between the two sides during the negotiations for Cherki, who departed the Groupama Stadium for the Etihad ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup.

Although, a move for the 19-year-old has seemingly only followed interest in a number of other names at Manchester City, with Lyon exploring the idea and possibility of securing the likes of James McAtee or Claudio Echeverri on temporary agreements.

Furthermore, the report claims that such a duo was preceded by tentative interested in the likes of Oscar Bobb and Abdukodir Khusanov, with Manchester City not interested in allowing any of the quartet to depart.

While Lyon appear to be in the lead for landing the Sierra Leonean defender from Manchester City, it has also been claimed that fellow French outfit OGC Nice are another candidate to land the 19-year-old, with a final decision expected in the coming days.

It remains to be seen what other names could follow Juma Bah out of Manchester City in the coming weeks, with speculation growing over Kyle Walker and his future, as well as Ilkay Gundogan amid interest from Turkey.