By Sulayman Bah
Pa Konate has left Sweden to join Serie A club SPAL on a four year deal.
The 23-year-old defender joins the Italians from Swedish champions Malmo with whom he tasted Champions League football.
Konate, also a key member of Sweden’s Olympic squad, attracted attention from a number of sides in Serie A namely Crotone, Genoa before newly promoted SPAL secured his services on a four year deal.
This transfer could make Pa, -born to a Gambian mother -the second Gambian to play in the Italian top flight if Omar Colley goes ahead to sign for Sampdoria.
Reacting to his move the defender said in a statement: ‘Malmö will always have a huge place in my heart, it is with mixed feelings that I have now decided to move on to new goals. But the strongest feeling I carry with me is gratitude. Without all my teammates and family who supported me over the years, this would not be possible. From the bottom of my heart: thank you for everything! ‘
Pa rose through the ranks at Malmo before spending half the 2014-season at second tier side Oster, returning to stamp his foot marks at Malmo at end of his loan spell.
He remains eligible to play for Gambia and is understood to be leaving option of playing for the Scorpions in the future little open.
