The £4.25m Portsmouth summer target on brink of historic title triumph amid Brighton and Bournemouth links
Pompey were linked with a move for Abdoulie Manneh during the summer transfer window.
Pompey were looking to strengthen their attacking department during the recent window following the departures of Christian Saydee, Kusini Yengi, Paddy Lane and Matt Ritchie.
There were a host of forwards therefore tipped with a move - some more credible than others - with the likes of Florian Bianchini, Makenzie Kirk, Franco Umeh, Conor Chaplin and Minhyeok Yang all eventually arriving.
One name who continued to appear throughout the summer, though, was Mjallby AIF’s Abdoulie Manneh, who was first linked with a switch in May.
The 21-year-old was also believed to be of interest to Premier League quartet Burnley, Brentford, Bournemouth and Wolves as well as Turkish giants Olympiacos.
However, a departure from the Swedish outfit never came to fruition, despite Manneh was once being again linked with PO4 following the window’s close.
But the versatile forward, who can operate both out wide and in attack, remained at the Strandvallen and has been in electric form for both club and country.
The Gambia international has been an ever-present in Anders Torstensson’s table-topping side, netting seven goals and registering three assists for Mjallby.
MAIF are also on the verge of completing an historic title triumph, with victory over Goteborg this weekend securing their first Allvenskan success.
Manneh, of course, has been at the heart of the success in Sweden’s top flight, with his impact ensuring Mjallby go into the final four games of the 2025 season with an 11-point gap at the top.
It’s not just at club level where the Pompey-linked talent is also impressing. The 21-year-old has grabbed the headlines this week after a standout performance for Gambia in the latest round of World Cup qualifiers.
The winger scored three goals and provided two assists in Gambia’s 7-0 triumph over Seychelles in Africa’s Group F qualification for next year’s tournament.
However, Manneh’s efforts might not be enough to secure a spot in the United States, with both Gabon and the Ivory Coast already booking their spots from the group.
Nonetheless, the forward’s outstanding contributions have not gone unnoticed, with his stock firmly on the rise.
The versatile attacker still has two years remaining on his current terms with Mjallby, who will no doubt face another battle from top European clubs for his signature during the January window.
Pompey’s interest in Abdoulie Manneh
Pompey were interested with Manneh early in the summer transfer window after an impressive maiden campaign in 2024.
His impressive figures alerted a number of English clubs earlier in the year, with the Blues in the running alongside the likes Bournemouth, Brighton, Burnley and Wolves for his signature.
MLS outfit FC Cincinnati and Olympiacos were also credited with an interest, with some reports suggesting the 21-year-old failed a medical with the Turkish side.
With a host of clubs interested in the four-cap Gambia international during the summer, Mjallby had slapped a £4.25m valuation on their star man.
But there was a reluctance by Pompey to end their initial pursuit of the forward in June, with the powers that be at Fratton Park believing the hot-shot would move to one of Europe’s top leagues.