The twists and turns of this tense season continue for Manchester City after Real Valladolid launched an incendiary accusation that January target Juma Bah had been encouraged to break his contract.
A lengthy statement from the La Liga team came just as Pep Guardiola was putting the finishing touches on his team in his Paris hotel.
And the content was substantial: Valladolid claimed that Bah, a central defender from Sierra Leone, was “supported and guided” by the Premier League champions to choose not to show up for training on Wednesday.
The saga is complicated by the 18-year-old playing for Valladolid on loan from AIK Freetong, and the Spaniards exercised a clause to make the transfer permanent earlier this month. But given his age, Bah remains on a youth contract of around £2,500 a week, rather than full professional terms, and that severely affects the fee payable by City.
He is currently believed to be available for around £5million, but that would almost triple if he signed a new deal. Bah informed the club on Tuesday that he wanted to terminate his contract and City attempted to open negotiations with Valladolid that same day. Then he didn't show up 24 hours later.
City have not commented on the statement, which said: “The intention of the player, supposedly supported and guided by Manchester City and his agent, has caused great disappointment and indignation at Real Valladolid, who received Juma Bah with the open arms and gave him the opportunity of a lifetime.'
Real Valladolid accused Manchester City of inciting Juma Bah to break his contract
Bah expressed his desire to terminate his contract and did not show up for training 24 hours later
The accusation is another twist in a complicated season for Pep Guardiola's team.
Bah would probably argue that joining City represents exactly that, even though the plan for his development appears to include an immediate loan spell away from Manchester.
Valladolid added: “The Royal Spanish Football Federation has just confirmed that the player has deposited the amount for the unilateral termination of the contract.” In this sense, Real Valladolid informs that it reserves the right to go to the corresponding legal and sporting jurisdictions to exercise its rights and defend its interests.'
Therefore, this signing, which would be City's fourth in an exceptionally busy £130m window, could well drag on a little longer. There are already two defenders in the building and City's thinking in that area of the pitch is intriguing, banking on potential rather than what has already been done.
Abdukodir Khusanov is more likely to make an immediate impact and moving forward with his £33million arrival from Lens is partly due to the endless injury list at the back. John Stones, back on the bench against Paris Saint-Germain, has played 57 minutes in the last two months, while Nathan Ake is once again on the sidelines.
They need bodies, although sources urge caution with Khusanov, a 20-year-old Uzbekistan international. He is fast, as fast as the outgoing Kyle Walker, but is known to have a hard time “stopping” when faced with challenges. “He needs to slow down,” one scout said last week.
There is still learning to be done and he will not play every week, but, more importantly, his speed opens up the possibility of having more security to nullify counterattacks if Rico Lewis were to act as an inverted winger.
That gives Guardiola more tactical options, while 19-year-old Vitor Reis can also play at centre-back or on the wing after sealing a £29million move from Palmeiras.
Both are training, will be available for Chelsea at the weekend and will be joined by Omar Marmoush in the next 24 hours.
Man City suffered a 4-2 defeat to PSG on Wednesday to highlight the need for new faces
Manchester City have already signed defenders Abdukodir Khusanov, left, and Vitor Reis, right.
City have banked on potential and Khusanov is seen as most likely to make an immediate impact.
With 15 Bundesliga goals for Eintracht Frankfurt this season, Marmoush is the real exciting signing of the moment.
Guardiola can slot him into the top three and he likes to push a high number 10 up to Erling Haaland, which is a tantalizing prospect.
And City are still looking to land a central midfielder. Decisive action. As decisive as the one who took the pin from the Valladolid pomegranate tree.