Modou Barrow

Modou Barrow (born 13 October 1992), commonly known as Mo Barrow, is a Gambian professional footballer who plays for South Korean club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, and the Gambian national team. He is a winger but can also play as a forward.

"Mo Barrow" redirects here. For the other Gambian national football player, see Musa Barrow.

Mo Barrow
Personal information
Full name Modou Barrow[1]
Date of birth (1992-10-13) 13 October 1992
Place of birth Banjul, The Gambia
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Playing position(s) Winger, forward
Club information
Current team
 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
Number 37
Youth career
Real de Banjul FC
Östers IF
Mjölby AI
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010 Mjölby AI 15 (6)
2011 Mjölby Södra 19 (23)
2012 Norrköping 7 (0)
2013 Varbergs BoIS 28 (2)
2014 Östersunds 19 (10)
2014–2017 Swansea City 51 (1)
2015 → Nottingham Forest (loan) 4 (0)
2015 → Blackburn Rovers (loan) 4 (0)
2017 → Leeds United (loan) 5 (0)
2017–2020 Reading 77 (14)
2019–2020 → Denizlispor (loan) 24 (3)
2020– Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1 (0)
National team‡
2015– Gambia 8 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 April 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19:29, 5 January 2019 (UTC)

He grew up in Sweden where he played for several senior clubs. In 2014, he signed for Swansea City of the Premier League. After loans to three Championship clubs, he transferred to Reading in 2017. Barrow made his international debut for the Gambia in 2016.

Club career

Early life and Sweden

Barrow was born in the Gambia. When he was 11, his mother died.[3] He and his four brothers joined their father in Sweden. He reflected that "Football obviously helped me get through that period of my life. I was very good at football and got a lot of friends at my new school, mainly because many of them really liked to play football with me. I was never bullied because I was from another country."[4][5]

He spent his youth career at Östers IF and Mjölby AI, before earning his first senior appearances with Mjölby AI. His best friend from Gambia had moved to the town of Mjölby. While visiting his friend, he was invited to train with the club, and quickly caught the eye of the senior squad. This in turn led to a deal with the nearby club IFK Norrköping. After spells at fellow Swedish sides Mjölby Södra IF, IFK Norrköping, and Varbergs BoIS, he joined Swedish second tier side Östersunds FK in 2014. He scored 10 goals in 19 matches in his only season for them in Superettan.

Swansea City

On 30 August 2014, Barrow completed his transfer to Premier League side Swansea City for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around £1.5 million, after being signed by manager Garry Monk.[6] He became the first Gambian footballer to play in the Premier League – Omar Koroma spent two seasons at Portsmouth starting in 2008, but failed to make an appearance.[7][8]

"I like the way Swansea play football, it reminds me of how I used to play back home. I've watched a lot of their matches on TV and I was impressed with what I saw," he said on signing for Swansea. "They like to give young players a chance and hopefully I can progress here." Barrow went straight into the Under-21s squad. On 28 October 2014, Barrow was included on the bench for Swansea's League Cup match against Liverpool. He was assigned the squad number 58.[9]

On 9 November 2014, Barrow made his Swansea City and Premier League debut against Arsenal, coming on in place of Marvin Emnes for the last 23 minutes of a 2–1 home win.[10] He scored his first Swansea goal on 3 January 2015 in a 6–2 win at Tranmere Rovers in the third round of the FA Cup. Barrow signed a new four-year contract until June 2018.[11][12] Barrow was loaned to Nottingham Forest on 11 March 2015 until the end of the 2014–15 season.[13]

On 10 August 2015, Barrow was loaned to Blackburn Rovers on a three-month emergency loan.[14] On 8 September, he was recalled by Swansea and remained a regular under manager Francesco Guidolin, Barrow scored his first league goal for Swansea in a 3–2 defeat at Bournemouth on 12 March 2016.[15] He signed a new contract at Swansea on 7 July 2016, keeping him at the club until 2019[16] and also adding a £15 million pound release clause for the player.[17]

Despite playing 20 times for Swansea during the first half of the 2016–17 season under Guidolin and Bob Bradley, after falling out of favour under new manager Paul Clement due to the signing of Luciano Narsingh, Barrow was made available for a transfer. He was strongly linked with a move to Championship side Newcastle United.[17] On 31 January 2017, Barrow joined Leeds United on loan until the end of the 2016–17 season, with a view to a permanent deal. The move saw him link up with Monk.[18] After failing to break into the first team, he was not purchased by Leeds.[19] During his time at Swansea he became the first Gambian to score a premier league goal.

Reading

On 21 July 2017, Swansea rejected a bid from Reading in the region of £1.25 million,[20] before Barrow signed a four-year contract with Reading on 3 August for an undisclosed fee.[21] He scored his first goal for Reading in a 2–1 home win against Aston Villa on 15 August.[22]

Denizlispor (loan)

On 12 August 2019, Denizlispor announced the signing of Barrow on a season-long loan deal,[23] with Reading confirming the deal a day later.[24]

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors

On 20th July 2020, Modou Barrow confirmed on his personal Instagram that he is joining Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors from Reading. The fee for the transfer is undisclosed.

International career

On 31 March 2015, Barrow was called up for the Sweden national under-21 football team, however he pulled out of the squad due to an injury he had sustained.

In May 2015, he was called up for the Gambia national football team, and on 22 May, he confirmed on his Twitter account that he had decided to play for his native Gambia.[25] Barrow made his debut for Gambia during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification in a goalless draw away to South Africa on 13 June 2015.[26]

Barrow scored his first international goal on 27 March 2017, opening a 2–1 friendly win over the Central African Republic in Kenitra, Morocco.[27]

Style of play

Barrow is a pacey winger, who likes to run with the ball and take on defenders and create chances. He can also play as a forward. He revealed that with his style of play that 'I want to get the fans on their feet, and I fight until the end'.[28]

Personal life

Barrow lives with his fiancée and their daughter Anya, born in November 2014.[3] Barrow holds a Swedish citizenship. In 2012, Barrow was sentenced to community service and probation after assaulting his girlfriend.[29] He is a devout muslim.[30]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 5 April 2020[31]
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Mjölby AI 2010 Östergötland Västra 156000000156
Mjölby Södra 2011 Östergötland Västra 19230000001923
Norrköping 2012 Allsvenskan 7000000070
Varbergs BoIS 2013 Superettan 282000000282
Östersund 2014 Superettan 19100000001910
Swansea City 2014–15 Premier League 110210000131
2015–16 Premier League 221100000231
2016–17 Premier League 180001000190
Total 511311000552
Nottingham Forest (loan) 2014–15 Championship 4000000040
Blackburn Rovers (loan) 2015–16 Championship 4000100050
Leeds United (loan) 2016–17 Championship 5000000050
Reading 2017–18 Championship 41102020—4510
2018–19 Championship 3541010—374
2019–20 Championship 100000—10
Total 77143030--8314
Denizlispor (loan) 2019–20 Süper Lig 2430000—243
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC 2020 K League 1 0000—0000
Career total 2535961500026560

International
National teamYearAppsGoals
Gambia national team 201530
201620
201721
201810
Total81

Statistics accurate as of match played 23 March 2018[32]

International goals
Scores and results list Gambia's goal tally first.[32]
NoDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.27 March 2017Stade Municipal, Kenitra, Morocco Central African Republic1–02–1Friendly
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References
  1. "Squads for 2016/17 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  2. "Premier League Player Profile Modou Barrow". Premier League. 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  3. "Barrow: There's more to come from me". Swansea City A.F.C.
  4. "Barrow: "Jag önskar att mamma hade fått uppleva det här"". op.se.
  5. Simon Gaskell (26 August 2014). "Who is expected Swansea City signing Modou Barrow? All you need to know about the young striking sensation". walesonline.
  6. "Barrow completes transfer". Twitter. 30 August 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  7. "BARROW IS FIRST GAMBIAN TO PLAY IN EPL". Foroyaa Newspaper. 10 November 2014. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  8. "Modou Barrow becomes first Gambian to play in Premier League". Gambia Sports. 10 November 2014. Archived from the original on 30 November 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014..
  9. "Liverpool 2 Swansea 1". BBC. 28 October 2014.
  10. Pritchard, Dafydd (9 November 2014). "Swansea 2–1 Arsenal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  11. "Barrow pens new four-year deal at Swans". Swansea City A.F.C. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  12. "BBC Sport – Gambian forward Modou Barrow signs long-term Swansea deal". BBC Sport.
  13. Richardson, Nick. "Nottingham Forest complete signing of Swansea City forward Modou Barrow on loan until the end of the season".
  14. rovers.co.uk. "Rovers have completed the loan signing of Swansea City's Modou Barrow".
  15. "Bournemouth 3–2 Swansea". BBC Sport. 12 March 2016. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  16. "Swansea City: Modou Barrow agrees new three-year contract". BBC Sport. 7 July 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2016.
  17. "Who is Modou Barrow? Newcastle United transfer target likes to 'get fans on their feet'". Evening Chronicle. 23 January 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  18. "BARROW SECOND DEADLINE DAY SIGNING". BBC Sport. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  19. "2017/18 RETAINED LIST". Leeds United F.C. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  20. "Modou Barrow: Swansea City reject Reading bid for forward". BBC Sport. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  21. "Barrow joins Royals on four-year deal". Reading F.C. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  22. "Reading 2–1 Aston Villa". BBC. 15 August 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  23. "MODOU BARROW YUKATEL DENİZLİSPOR'DA". denizlispor.org.tr/ (in Turkish). Denizlispor. 12 August 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  24. "Barrow agrees season-long loan switch to Turkey". readingfc.co.uk/. Reading F.C. 13 August 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  25. "Klart: Barrow väljer att spela för Gambia". Aftonbladet. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  26. "South Africa 0 Gambia 0". cafonline.com. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  27. Butcher, Will (28 March 2017). "Modou Barrow posts Twitter message after hitting international landmark". Football Insider. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  28. "FREEVIEW | MO BARROW". LUTV. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  29. "Bois talar ut om Modou".
  30. "Twitter". mobile.twitter.com. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  31. "M.Barrow". soccerway.com. Soccerway. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  32. "Barrow, Modou". National Football Teams. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
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