Former Real de Banjul goal poacher Yankuba Jarju has joined French Ligue 2 side FC Metz from Senegalese partner club Generation Foot and loaned to Pau FC. FC Metz will be playing in the second tier of French football after they finished bottom in Ligue 1 and Jarju’s signing is seen as an investment in the future as he will be joining Championnat National side Pau FC for the rest of the 2018/19 season. The lanky forward is the latest former Real de Banjul wonderkid to turn professional looking in the footsteps of a long list of players from the likes of Ebou Sillah, Pa Dembo Touray, Omar Colley, Bubacarr Trawally, Ken Mansally, Bubacarr Sanneh and Ablie Jallow. Jarju, 21, was Generation Foot’s second leading scorer last term with 11 goals which included a memorable performance at Stade Amadou Barry where he scored four times against Guediawaye FC. “I’m delighted to start a new chapter of my young career after a good season with Generation Foot in the Senegalese league. This is a dream come true for me to turn professional and I look forward to joining my new teammates at Pau FC”, Jarju told www.realdebanjul.gm. “I started the season very well scoring and assisting goals but I had an unfortunate injury which halted my progress in terms of goals but am very satisfied with my output. I know the areas that I need to develop on and this move will give me the opportunity to continue my development as a striker”, added Jarju. “My thanks and appreciations to Real de Banjul because they made me believe that I can be a pro and today I have realised that. The executives, coaching staffs, former teammates, fans and everyone associated to our great football club I would like to say thank you for everything”. The Scorpions forward registered 16 goals in his last season with Real de Banjul (2017/18) and won his first international cap for the national team against Guinea Bissau in Bakau. “We’re very pleased with Yankuba’s development over the last season with our partner club Generation Foot whom we have a fantastic relationship with”, said Real de Banjul Club President William Abraham. “Yankuba Jarju is a very determined kid and I am not surprised that he is joining Metz who are sending him on a season’s loan to Pau FC where he will have a good opportunity to get used to the French style of football”. “We’ve always believed that he is good enough to play professional football and today he has achieved that but there’s more to come from him”, added Willie. Everyone at Real de Banjul would like to wish Yankuba Jarju all the best in the next step of his career with Pau FC
The 24-year-old Gambia international, who moved to Kenya with the Premier League side, made a handful of appearances for the Nairobi club last season but a change of coaching staff this season has seen him fall down the pecking order under the new club coach, Paul Nkata. His three-year loan agreement spell has now been cut short and has returned to Real de Banjul together with teammate and compatriot, Matarr Nyan, from the three Kenyan Cup championship winners. President William Abraham explained to www.realdebanjul.gm: “Alagie Nyabally’s loan recall is actually a good option for all of us because we need him in our team.” “It made no sense to allow him to be there to continue to serve the agreement period without playing hence the new coach came with his own goalkeeper, so it was wise to reach a mutual agreement with Tusker and have him come back to us,” he added. Nyabally, who captained the club last season after Bubacarr Sanneh’s departure to AC Horsens, has since resumed duties with the City Boys.