Dutch-born striker Elvis Manu ready to play for Ghana ahead of 2022 World Cup

Dutch-born of Ghanaian descent, Elvis Manu has expressed his readiness to switch nationality to play for Ghana ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

The 28-year-old was born in the Netherlands and played for the Dutch at the youth level, U16, U17, U19, 20, and U21 level, but is yet to be capped at the senior level.

Discussing his international future, the Wisła Kraków forward said the Ghana Football Association (GFA) approached him five years ago.

He however added that he has been working to finalize his nationality switch in the last two years to enable him to play for Ghana.

"The topic started five or six years ago, but I have been seriously involved in this matter for two years,” Manu, 28, is quoted as saying by ghanasoccernet.com.

"Yes. The manager at the time [CK Akonnor] wanted to appoint me, but my papers weren't ready at that time. I took up the procedure, but the selector has changed in the meantime. We'll see what the future holds. Hope to play for Ghana soon.”

Ghana’s preparation for the Qatar 2022 World Cup will kickstart with a four-nation tournament that includes Japan, Chile, and Tunisia.

Dubbed the 2022 Kirin Super Cup, the tournament will be hosted by Japan from Friday, June 10, 2022, to Tuesday, June 14, 2022.

All the participating teams have booked their tickets to the World Cup and will therefore use the tournament as preparation ahead of Qatar.

A statement from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) said the Black Stars will face hosts Japan in their opening game while Tunisia also takes on Chile.

Meanwhile, the Black Stars are paired in Group H of the World Cup, alongside Portugal, Uruguay, and South Korea.