Juma Bah: Man City’s Sierra Leone defender linked with Al-Hilal move

Juma Bah, the Sierra Leone centre-back currently at Manchester City, is being linked with a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal as the Riyadh club consider defensive options for the new season.

Bah returned to City this summer after a season on loan at Nice and is under contract at the Etihad Stadium until June 2031, but interest from Al-Hilal is understood to centre on his current valuation of around €10m. No agreement is in place and the situation remains at the discussion stage, with City in a strong position due to the length of his deal.

The 20-year-old, who was born in Freetown and stands at 1.95m, has accumulated top-flight experience across Europe over the past two campaigns. He played 36 league matches for Nice in Ligue 1 last season, having previously featured in LaLiga for Real Valladolid, as well as in the Europa League and Champions League qualifying rounds.

Bah joined Manchester City in January 2025 from Real Valladolid for a reported €6m fee before being sent on successive loans to Lens and Nice to continue his development in senior European football. His performances in France last term have helped establish his current market value and attracted attention from outside Europe.

Al-Hilal, one of the dominant forces in the Saudi Pro League, are assessing options at centre-back, with Bah viewed as a potential long-term addition. For now, the defender remains a Manchester City player, tied to the Premier League champions on a contract running until 2031.