Castlebar youngster signs three-year deal

Baba signs deal


Castlebar youngster joins Fulham on three-year contract

Edwin McGreal

CASTLEBAR Celtic prodigy Noe Baba has signed a three-year deal with English Premier League club Fulham, subject to international clearance.
A deal was reported as imminent in recent weeks and the London club confirmed to The Mayo News that the Irish U-17 captain has signed on the dotted line.
The deal is expected to be fully ratified in January when international clearance is received. The Cameroon-born Baba moved with his family to Ireland in February 2007.
Carmelo Mifsud, Media Relations Manager for Fulham, confirmed that 16-year-old Baba has signed initially as a scholar at Craven Cottage and will sign a two-year professional contract on his 17th birthday, which is next August.
It means Baba has been signed on what is close to a three-year deal with the south-west London club.
When asked for details of any agreement or compensation with Baba’s current club, Castlebar Celtic, the media relations manager described such details as ‘confidential information between [the] clubs’. However, it is believed that an agreement is in the region of €160,000 has been brokered.
Baba had been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United and travelled with their Academy squad to Brazil earlier this year. However the Academy set-up at Fulham, led by Academy Director Huw Jennings, is believed to have swayed Baba.
Fulham coaches Jennings, Malcolm Elias, Steve Wigley and Stewart Henderson were key figures at Southampton in bringing through players such as Wayne Bridge, Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Although they went on to separate jobs, they reunited at Craven Cottage this summer and their reputation is growing once again.
Baba is the current Irish U-17 captain and this October was also called into the Irish U-19 squad. Known for his versatility, Baba can play at centre-back, full-back or in midfield.