Centre-Back Logjam Points to Exit
With Enzo Maresca's centre-back rotation now looking settled, the writing appears to be on the wall for at least one of City's promising young defenders.
Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Abdukodir Khusanov, Marc Guehi and Vitor Reis are the five names who will contest the central defensive spots next season. Max Alleyne is heading to Burnley on loan, and the club's plans for Stephen Mfuni remain unclear. That leaves Juma Bah, the Sierra Leone international signed from Real Valladolid in January 2025, without an obvious path into the first-team picture.
Loan Spell in France
Bah has spent the past 18 months in Ligue One, with loan spells at RC Lens and OGC Nice. He is still only 20, and there is plenty to like about his game. He is strong in the air, good in a challenge, reads the play well and is comfortable enough in possession to suit a side that wants to build from the back.
Yet there just doesn't seem to be room for him in this City squad.
According to a report from Alan Nixon, relayed by Stuart Watson for the Ipswich Star, Ipswich Town have enquired about signing the young centre-back. City are said to be demanding £15 million plus £10 million in add-ons to part with him this summer.
A Logical Move
A sale would make sense for all parties. Bah needs regular football at a level that suits his development, and Ipswich could offer him exactly that. The Tractor Boys' interest appears genuine, and a summer move looks highly likely.
If City do sanction a sale, they would almost certainly look to keep some control over his future. A sell-on percentage or a buy-back option are the kind of terms typically attached to any young player the club lets go.
Perhaps a move to Portman Road is the best next step for Bah. He has the attributes to be a good defender; what he needs now is a platform to prove it. City, for their part, get a fee for a player who was never likely to force his way into Maresca's plans.