The Cherki effect: Man City defender ‘closing in’ on

Manchester City defender Juma Bah is reportedly set to join Ligue 1 side Lyon on loan for the 2025-26 campaign.

The 19-year-old was signed by the Citizens in the January transfer window following a successful six-month spell at Real Valladolid where he started 11 of his 13 La Liga appearances during the first half of last season.

Bah penned a long-term agreement with Man City before moving on loan to French outfit Lens, with the Sierra Leone centre-back replacing Abdukodir Khusanov following his £33.5m transfer to the Etihad Stadium.

Standing at a whopping 6ft 5in, Bah started eight of Lens’ final 10 Ligue 1 matches, helping them keep four clean sheets and finish the season eighth in the table.

Bah has since been spotted in Manchester with his agent, taking photos inside the Etihad and having a closer look around the sky blue surroundings he hopes to get accustomed to in the near future.

It has previously been reported that Bah will head out on loan this summer before being integrated into Pep Guardiola’s senior squad at a later date.

Lyon set to sign Bah on loan from Man City

Championship side Southampton – now managed by Bah’s former Lens boss Will Still – recently emerged as the leading contenders to take the defender on loan.

Newly-promoted trio Leeds United, Paris FC and FC Koln, as well as Man City’s sister club Girona, have also been credited with an interest in Bah, but L’Equipe claims that Lyon are now in pole position to win the race for his signature.

The report adds that Pierre Sage’s Lens were hoping to retain Bah’s services for one more season, but they now appear to have lost out to Sage’s former club Lyon.

It is understood that Lyon reached an agreement with Man City to loan one of their players for the upcoming season following the £34m sale of Rayan Cherki to Guardiola’s side.

Lyon are said to have shown an interest in Khusanov and Oscar Bobb, but the Citizens rebuffed their attempts to take either player on loan as they have no plans to part ways with the duo.

James McAtee and Claudio Echeverri were also of interest to Lyon, but Bah is the one who is now closing in on a temporary switch to the Groupama Stadium.

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