By Sulayman Bah
Gambia international Ibou Swaneh has agreed to join an unnamed Turkish club after agreeing in principle to move 
to the side at start of the new season.
This follows after the 29-year-old left his Belgian premier league side Waasland Bevern’s pre-season camp to board a plane headed for Istanbul where his agent was locked in serious negotiations with an unnamed Turkish team.
The suitors of the Gambian whose name has yet to be disclosed, Foroyaa Sport understands, is Turkish second tier Sanliurfaspor.
Sanliurfaspor are understood to have bought out the remaining one-year left on the Scorpion’s initial three-year deal with a fee believed to be in excess of €400,000.
Sanliurfaspor finished the previous term on eleventh place in the 18-team league and are plotting promotion to the Turkish Super Lig.
And, in an aggressive bid to realize their ambition, Sanliurfaspor tabled an audacious bid ensuring capture of the Gambian’s services who they consider a prized asset in their endeavours.
A deal has been brokered in principle between Sawaneh’s representatives and the club pending finalization of wages and unveiling.
This is the second time Ibou is leaving Belgium after going to Qatar on loan in 2013. Capable of playing as a left-winger and a lone striker, Sawaneh has spent twelve seasons in Brussels before this latest transfer.
His greatest career height came in the 2012-2013 campaign when he finished runner-up for the Jupilier Pro League golden boot on 19 goals, a goal behind eventual winner Mbokani.
That feat prompted Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen and Frankfurt to ponder signing him with interest from St Etienne and Dutch side Utrecht also reportedly tense at the time.
Ibou’s willingness to join either Bayer or Frankfurt did not see light of day with his then club OH Leuven (OHL) refusing to budge from their €1.7m asking price.
The forward at one point went ballistic over his club’s refusal to lower his price tag, preferring, according to unconfirmed claims then, to deliberately skip training in a desperate measure to force OHL to reconsider their stance.
In reaction, the club instead got umbraged excluding Sawaneh from their season plans before accepting offer to offload him on a season-long loan to Qatar Stars League’s Muaither SC.
