Mohammed Gargo advises Baba Idrissu to leave Mallorca

Former Ghana defender Mohammed Gargo believes it would be better if Baba Idrissu left Real Mallorca.

The 24-year-old Accra-born midfielder was ever-present for Los Bermellones last season, playing in all but two Spanish La Liga games. His consistency on the pitch could however not save Mallorca as they finished in 19th place, four points adrift of safety.

It marks an immediate return to the second tier for the islanders, who made it to La Liga via the Segunda Division play-offs in 2018-19 by seeing off Deportivo La Coruna 3-2 on aggregate.

Baba is rumoured to be of interest by Atletico Madrid who would need a replacement should the €50 million release clause for Arsenal-linked and Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey be met.

Gargo is of the opinion Baba needs to take his career to the next level, hence should leave the Estadi de Son Moix.

“I think he [Baba Idrissu] should move,” Gargo told Citi Sports. “This is a great opportunity for him to take the next step in his career after what he did last season.

“If a club like Atletico Madrid has contacted him, then it means they’ve scored him and are aware of what he can do. He should leave.”

During the 2019-20 campaign, Baba averaged 28.6 passes per game at 81-percent success rate while his touches were 48.3 per game. His successful dribbles stood at 1.5 per match (85-percent success rate) and total duels won at 6.5 (51-percent success rate).

On the defensive side, his interceptions were 1.1 per match, the same as clearances, and he averaged 1.6 tackles per match. Baba did not commit any error leading to a goal in the 36 La Liga games he played.

Baba moved to Spain at a young age and started his football career at Leganes’ academy before moving to the Mallorca youth team. He had a loan stint at Segunda Division B side Barakaldo CF and was finally given his Mallorca senior debut on August 2018, going on to play 30 times in all competitions that season.

Baba has earned two caps for Ghana, playing 90 minutes in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against South Africa and Sao Tome and Principe on November 14 and 18, 2019 respectively.