Sabobo gets FC Barcelona trials…To remain at Arrows until he turns 18

Zambian young sensation Joseph ‘Sabobo’ Banda is set to leave for Spain next week to attend trials at LA Liga giants, FC Barcelona.

The Zambia U-17 national team captain will leave for Spain on Sunday or Monday the ZamFoot Crew understands.

Sabobo will attend trials with the Spanish for close to a month and should he impress he may make his switch to Barça.

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.

Last year, Sabobo bagged 5 goals to emerge top scorer and player of the tournament as he helped Zambia to silver replicating everything he did in 2020.

In September, 2020, Banda won the Golden Boot at the “Vlatko Markovic” Croatia Invitational tournament after scoring three goals.

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

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.