Estonian top-flight club Paide Linnameeskond have announced the signing of former Gambian international forward Bubacarr Trawally on a contract until the end of the season.
The 30-year-old striker brings a wealth of experience from Asia and Europe. Trawally moved from Gambia to China in 2015, enjoying four productive seasons, three of them in the Chinese Super League with clubs including YB Funde and GZ Hengfeng. During his time in Chinese top-flight, he scored 37 goals and provided 10 assists in 83 league matches.
After his stint in China, Trawally moved to Saudi Arabia to join Al-Shabab, where he scored three goals and registered two assists in 11 league appearances. He then spent three consecutive seasons on loan at Ajman Club in the United Arab Emirates. In 2022, he took his first step into European football with Swedish top-tier club Hammarby, scoring twice in 14 appearances. Before joining Paide, he also had spells in Iran and back in the UAE.
Trawally expressed his excitement about joining the club in a statement on Paide’s Facebook page: “This is a club that has grown and developed strongly in recent years. I’ve visited Estonia and Paide before in a different role, but now I come as a player. I’m ready to help the club achieve its goals, bring my quality to the team, give my best in every match, and hopefully make history together as champions.”
Paide sports director Gert Kams highlighted the striker’s attacking qualities: “His biggest strengths are his speed, intelligent movement, and efficiency in one-on-one situations in the attacking third. He is goal-oriented with good instincts, but versatile enough to operate in different positions. His career in Asia, the Arab world, and the Gambian national team has given him a rich base of experience.”
Trawally has made 16 appearances for the Gambian national team, scoring one goal in March 2022 against Chad, which was also his penultimate international appearance.
