Modou Barrow training with Bolton Wanderers

Gambian attacker Modou Secka Barrow

Gambian forward Modou Secka Barrow is currently training with English Championship club Bolton Wanderers, with a view to earning a contract.

The 21-year-old has courted interest from clubs outside Scandinavia in recent weeks with Bolton one of four English clubs interested in capturing his signature.

The former Mjölby Södra IF striker is set to feature as a trialist in Wanderers’ first pre-season friendly against Danish Superligaen side Brøndby IF tonight.

He joined the club at their Malmö training camp on Tuesday night and joined other players as they were put through their paces by manager Dougie Freedman

“I am happy to be joining them on training as they are one of the big clubs in England with Premier League experience,” a delighted Secka Barrow exclusively told this blog.

Reports from the Bolton camp in Malmö have been encouraging – and it is understood he will play at least 45 minutes against Ousman Jallow’s former team at the Brøndby Stadium.

“I feel good right now and I’m ready for tonight’s game,” he added.

The 5ft 9 1⁄2in attacker also revealed that he is aware of interest from Premier League club Swansea City, Middlesbrough in the Championship and Scottish Premiership side Celtic but was quick to add that his main focus right now is on making an appearance for The Trotters tonight.

“Middlesbrough, Swansea and Celtic have also invited me but I don’t know if I will train with them because they have already seen my games and are really very interested. I just want to do well tonight and see what happens next,” the Östersunds FK attacker said.

Barrow boasted a prolific scoring record as a teenager in the Swedish Division 4 [sixth-tier], hitting 23 goals in 19 starts for Mjölby Södra IF.

He has since moved up the leagues, representing Allsvenskan [top-tier] club IFK Norrköping, Superettan club Varbergs BoIS and Östersunds FK, who currently have him signed to a lucrative three-year deal.

He has scored six goals in thirteen appearances for the club in the current Superettan league season.

This blog understands that Bolton would need to cough up around 5,000,000 SEK (nearly nearly £480,000) before Östersunds could part with their current leading goal scorer.

And should he impress Dougie Freedman and sign a deal with the Macron Stadium outfit, he will join Middlesbrough’s Mustapha Carayol as the only two Gambians to currently play in England’s second tier.