Estonia Paide Linnameeskond Seals Partnership with Real de Banjul

Paide Linnameeskond, a football club based in Paide, Estonia, that competes in the Meistriliiga, the top flight of Estonian football, has announced its website that it had sealed a collaboration agreement with Real de Banjul, the 12-time Champion in the top Gambian football league. The two teams signed a long-term cooperation agreement to develop young players and prepare them for professional careers in Europe.

The first partnership between Paide and Real de Banjul was in early 2019 when Paide acquired two young players from Real de Banjul: 20-year-old Alassana Jatta and 19-year-old Muhammed Sanneh. The first scored a devil’s dozen goals in 17 matches and moved to Viborg in the Danish Premier League. The second played for the Central Estonian club in 55 games before moving to Ostrava Banik, a club in the Czech Premier League.

Jaanus Pruuli, CEO of Paide, told Veskimäe: “By concluding a cooperation agreement, we want to take the next important step in scouting foreign players. The early discovery and selection of suitable young talent allow us to support their development even before coming to Estonia and thereby speed up their adaptation to the requirements for penetration in European football.”

“Real de Banjul is an excellent partner who in recent years has made significant efforts to build its own youth system and make significant investments in the infrastructure needed for this purpose. Their training center in Basori is already at a good level today, and, in the context of the region, it is absolutely extraordinary,” Pruuli concluded.

“Paide president Veiko Veskimäe said, “We see the development of young foreign talent and the realization of their player rights as one of the prerequisites for achieving and sustainably managing the club’s athletic goals.”

“That is why in recent years we have contributed a great deal to creating an environment suitable for the development of young players and paid attention to maximizing support for young players coming from another cultural space in adapting to local living conditions.”