Football
Exclusive: Bournemouth in Pole Position to Sign Gambia International Striker Abdoulie Manneh
Bournemouth and Burnley are competing with Brighton and Wolves to sign Gambia striker Abdoulie Manneh in the upcoming transfer window. The 20-year-old Mjallby player has a £5million escape clause and has caught the eye of Premier League clubs. Both Bournemouth and Burnley managers are interested in securing his services.
AFC Bournemouth v Aston Villa FC - Premier League by Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth | Getty Images
Bournemouth are leading the race to sign Gambia international striker Abdoulie Manneh, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
But the Cherries face tough competition from Premier League rivals Brighton, Burnley and Wolves who have also both expressed an interest in signing the 20-year-old marksman.
Mjallby ace Manneh, who has scored five goals in eight games this season in the Swedish Allsvenskan league, is a wanted man after a string of starring performances this term.
And the highly-rated hitman could prove to be a bargain to whichever club manages to land him when the summer transfer window re-opens.
Manneh’s earned himself a permanent deal with Mjallby after a successful trial last year, but the brights lights of the Premier League could prove too tempting to turn down.
ESCAPE CLAUSE
His current contract doesn’t expire until 2027, but SportsBoom understands there is a clause in the player’s contract that allows him to leave if a big club comes calling.
And a fee of £5million has been muted for his services, which many Premier League clubs would not have difficulty in paying.
It is understood Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola (pictured) is a big fan of the player, who can also playing as a No 10 as well as in different attacking positions.
Burnley manager Scott Parker is also believed to have been monitoring the player, as he looks to strengthen his side in the window following a memorable promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
But it remains to be seen whether both Brighton and Wolves decide to act first having tracked the player for some time.
Manneh started his senior career with Gambian club Wallidan before making the move to Europe to further his career.
He has been capped twice by his country and could follow in the footsteps of a number of compatriots who have made the move to the English top-flight, including Brighton’s Yankuba Minteh and former Manchester United and Nottingham Forest defender Saidy Janko.
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.