Gambian football expert Baboucarr Fallaboweh says Abdoulie Manneh was left disappointed after his failed move to Birmingham City.
Sport Witness interviewed Fallaboweh, who says he would have preferred to see the 21-year-old in the Championship.
His development in Sweden had caught the attention of a few clubs, including Birmingham City.
The Gambia international moved to Europe for the first time when Mjällby AIF signed him from Wallidan in 2024. He made 73 appearances for the Allsvenskan winners, managing 13 goals and seven assists.
Failed Birmingham City medical
Last summer, Olympiacos came close to acquiring Abdoulie Manneh’s signature before the move collapsed.
He had an opportunity to put the disappointment behind him by joining the Blues in the winter market.
The attacker travelled to England for a medical after Chris Davies’ side agreed a deal with Mjällby. Their sporting director, Hasse Larsson, had also confirmed the agreement with the English club. However, the transfer didn’t go through because he failed the medical.
Baboucarr Fallaboweh, who lives in Sweden, told Sport Witness that his compatriot was left down after missing out on a move to St. Andrew’s.
“I think mentally and psychologically it was a big blow. He was close to some big move to Olympiacos before Birmingham City. That failed. So, as a player, psychologically, you feel down,” he said.
“I think with Birmingham [City], he failed the medical. Psychologically, he was down, just like with Olympiacos.”
| Every Birmingham City signing 26/27 | Previous Club | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Jhon Solís | Girona | £6m |
| Kristoffer Lund | Palermo | £4m |
| Luis Vázquez | RSC Anderlecht | £2.8m |
| Max Bird | Bristol City | £2.2m |
| Dael Fry | Middlesbrough | Free Transfer |
| James Beadle | Brighton & Hove Albion | Loan |
| Liam Millar | Hull City | Loan |
Slow start after summer move
Last month, Mjällby let the Gambian join Cercle Brugge on a season-long loan deal. He hasn’t made an appearance yet for the Belgian club because of a fitness issue.
Baboucarr Fallaboweh would have preferred to see Abdoulie Manneh in the Championship with Birmingham City, rather than in Belgium.
“He’s now happy. He has moved to Belgium. We haven’t seen him play yet,” Fallaboweh explained.
“Right now, he’s in Belgium. It’s not a bad step for him. But, you know, he needs to go to the Championship.”
Manneh still have hope of moving to England or other top European leagues in the future. He turns 22 years of age next week and clearly has sufficient time to showcase his qualities to secure a big move.
