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Sierra Leonean football club AIK Freetong is expected to receive approximately €830,000 following a ruling by FIFA Players’ Status Committee regarding the transfer of Sierra Leonean defender Juma Bah.
The Committee determined that Spanish Segunda Division club Real Valladolid owes the Sierra Leonean side €837,615, representing a 15 percent sell-on clause agreed when Bah initially left Sierra Leone for Spain.
According to the ruling, Real Valladolid had earlier paid AIK Freetong €150,000, maintaining that the amount reflected the terms outlined in the original loan agreement between the two clubs. The Spanish side also argued that Bah departed the club following a unilateral termination of contract, rather than through a standard transfer, and therefore claimed it was not obligated to pay the agreed sell-on percentage.
However, FIFA found that Valladolid made a significant profit from the player’s subsequent move to English Premier League side Manchester City. The defender was transferred during the 2025 winter transfer window for €6,048,000, generating a profit of €5,878,000 for the Spanish club.
AIK Freetong had initially claimed €1,031,700 from the deal. After reviewing the case, FIFA’s Players’ Committee ruled that the Sierra Leonean club is entitled to 15 percent of the transfer proceeds, after deducting a 5 percent solidarity contribution typically allocated to clubs involved in a player’s development.
The dispute, however, may not be fully settled yet. The case is expected to proceed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland for further interpretation and a final decision.
If the Court rules in favour of AIK Freetong, the payout could represent a major financial boost for the Sierra Leonean club, shedding light on the growing global impact of Sierra Leonean football talent and the importance of contractual protections for local clubs developing players who later move to the international stage.
