Real de Banjul is delighted to announce that teenage midfielder Babucarr Jobe has left the club to join Swedish Allsvenskan club IFK Värnamo on a loan transfer.

The athletic and nimble-footed player, likened to former Chelsea and France midfielder N’Golo Kanté, won the Gambia Football Federation League Division One in his first full season with Real de Banjul before going on loan to second-division side Elite United FC in search of regular game-time.

The 18-year-old, nicknamed Park, after former Manchester United and South Korea midfielder, Park Ji-sung, travelled to Sweden earlier this year where he underwent a trial in May with Värnamo who have now decided to take him on a contract until the end of the current league season where he is set to feature for the club’s  Allsvenskan (top-tier) and U19 sides.

Real de Banjul Club President William Abraham was delighted to see a player, whom he watched grow since his childhood, turn professional as he has a great influence in his family and upbringing.

Abraham said: “I am very happy that Babucarr Jobe has signed on loan in Värnamo because he is a player that has been with us since he was a young kid. He is more like the son of the club. We all know that his father, Ousman Jobe (Oussou) has been the team’s chief driver for years and the same father has once been my personal driver since my schooling days. Oussou has also worked for my father and even his (Oussou) father has also worked for my great-grandfather. So, this family has been working with us for generations and that makes this transfer even more special.”

“So, Babucarr is part of our family and we are extremely happy. We wish him well, both myself and my colleagues at the club all know what Babucarr means to us. He is a good boy who is disciplined and listens, we pray for him that he succeeds in turning his loan into a permanent move,” Abraham added.

Babucarr’s father, Ousman Jobe, who has been driving the Real de Banjul team bus, transporting various generations of the club players including his son, was elated seeing his son sign a professional contract, having seen different players he’s been transporting with the team bus, also sign pro contracts.

Oussou said: “My family and I are very happy, it means a lot that after many years of working for Real de Banjul, my son also signed a professional contract after playing for the club. I want to thank everyone at the club who contributed to developing ‘Pape’ (Babucarr’s nickname at home) all these years. Honestly, I am very happy and I believe everyone at the club is happy about what Pape achieved by signing for IFK Värnamo.”

Everyone at Real de Banjul is happy for Babucarr Jobe and wish him all the best of luck and success in Sweden with IFK Värnamo.