Bundesliga side FC Augsburg have completed the signing of Sierra Leone international centre-back Abdulai Juma Bah on a season-long loan from Manchester City.
The 20-year-old (born 11 April 2006 in Freetown) will spend the 2026/27 campaign in Germany, where he has been handed the No. 35 shirt. The deal includes a purchase option reported at around €21.5 million.
Bah becomes one of the few players to feature in three of Europe’s top five leagues (La Liga, Ligue 1 and now the Bundesliga) in under two years. He first made history in September 2024 as the first Sierra Leonean to play in Spain’s top flight when he debuted for Real Valladolid against Real Sociedad.
The towering 1.95m defender’s rapid rise began on the streets and dusty pitches of Freetown. He helped his parents in their bakery in the Congo Market area while starting out at Freetown Giant Academy, later moving to AIK Freetong and starring (and captaining) for Freetonians SLIFA in the Sierra Leone Premier League.
Spotted by European scouts, he joined Valladolid on loan in 2024, impressed enough to force his way into the first team, then moved to Manchester City in January 2025. City immediately sent him on loan to RC Lens and later OGC Nice in Ligue 1, where he gained valuable senior experience (dozens of appearances across the two French clubs).
Augsburg, needing defensive reinforcement after Keven Schlotterbeck’s departure, see Bah as an ideal fit for his size, physicality and growing European experience. He has already earned senior caps for the Leone Stars, including World Cup qualifying appearances.
For Sierra Leone fans, this is another proud milestone for one of the country’s brightest young talents. Bah’s journey from bakery helper and barefoot street footballer to regular top-flight football across Europe continues to inspire. All eyes will now be on how quickly he settles in the Bundesliga and pushes for more minutes with the national team.
