SOBOBO BANDA ATTENDS BARCELONA TRIALS

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Zambian young sensation Joseph ‘Sabobo’ Banda is in Spain attending trials at LA Liga giants, FC Barcelona.

 

The Zambia U-17 national team will attend trials with the Spanish for close to a month and may make his switch to Barça onde the lad impresses examiners.

 

However since Sabobo is only 16, even if he was to impress he can only sign a professional contract when he turns 18 years old in December, 2023.

 

The youngster will remain at Red Arrows until December 2023. Barcelona who have been in contact with the handlers of the youngster for a long time now are happy with his switch to a Super League side.

 

Banda completed his loan move to Red Arrows from Lusaka Provincial side, Athletic Lusaka on the January transfer window deadline day.

 

The Zambia Under-17 skipper has been in fine form for the young Copper Bullets winning the golden at the 2020 and 2021 Cosafa Under-17 tournament.

 

Actually, Sabobo has 11 goals at in the regional showpiece. In 2019, while Rickson Ng’ambi grabbed all the headline as the Oswald Mutapa young guns won the tournament, Sabobo scored a goal and won the man of the match award once.

 

Toyota Zambia in partnership with Atletico Lusaka Sports Complex celebrated Banda’s invitation to three-month assessment at LA Liga giants, FC Barcelona in Spain with the Barcelona under 19 team. Tutored by coach Chisi Mbewe, Sabobo, the 17year old grew up in Lusaka’s Chaisa Compound, recently signed an 18-month long loan deal with FAZ super league – Red arrows from Atletico Lusaka FC, and will still remain at Red Arrows until December 2023.

The Zambian Under-17 skipper – Sabobo has been in fine form for the young Copper Bullets winning the golden cup at the 2020 and 2021 Cosafa Under-17 tournament.

Essentially, Sabobo has 11 goals at the regional level. In 2019, while Rickson Ng’ambi grabbed all the headline as the Oswald Mutapa young guns won the tournament, Sabobo scored a goal and won the man of the match award.

In 2021, Sabobo bagged 5 goals to emerge top scorer and player of the tournament helping Zambia to silver while in September, 2020, Banda won the Golden Boot at the “Vlatko Markovic” Croatia Invitational tournament after scoring three goals.

At club level, Last season Sabobo was the FAZ Lusaka Provincial League top scorer with 15 goals.

Asked about how he feels about this move to Barcelona, “his dream was to play for a European club and he would work hard until his ambition is achieved. He further stated that he believes his career path is slowly shaping up”.

He is yet to make his senior national team debut but in February 2021 the then head coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic handed Sabobo his first call-up ahead of the Chipolopolo’s triple of international friendlies against Malawi, South Africa, and Kenya.

ZAMFOOT-Toyota Zambia.