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AFCON 2019: Profiling Ghana's Final 23 Man Squad For AFCON

Cup of Nations AFCON 2019: Profiling Ghana's Final 23 Man Squad For AFCON
JUN 14, 2019 LISTEN

Coach Kwesi Appiah has named his final 23 man squad for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Ghana are in Group F alongside Cameroon, Benin and Guinea Bissau.

The Black Stars will play their first match on June 25 at the Ismailia Stadium against Benin.

Ghana will be hoping to break the long absence of not being able to win Africa’s finest tournament after 37 years.

Modernghana.com Sports editor, Samuel Ekow Amoasi Appiah profile all the 23 players for the 32nd edition of the tournament that start on June 21 to July 19.

Ghana are expected to arrive in Egypt on June 20.
Goalkeepers

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Felix Annan
Goalkeeper Felix Van Annan is the only local player who will be representing Ghana at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The Kotoko goalie has distinguished himself on the local front over the years, despite the chaotic times that have hit Ghana football.

Annan was selected by Coach Kwesi Appiah due to his excellent ball distribution, agility and strict command of his goal area.

The 24-year-old began his football career at the Redbull Soccer Academy in Ghana, now known as the West African Football Academy (WAFA).

The goalkeeper first emerged on the scene when he joined Ghana Premier League giants Asante Kotoko on loan in the 2014/15 season. Despite not being afforded enough game time, he still proved his worth to the Porcupine Warriors.

This prompted the Kumasi-based club to sign him on a permanent basis following the expiration of the loan deal.

Annan has since risen to become the first-choice goalkeeper of the 22-time Ghana Premier League champions and has become a local favourite.

The Kokoto goalie has delivered several brave performances, which have in turn won him uncountable man-of-the-match awards in the league.

Earlier this year, he was again at his best as Kotoko qualified for the group stages of the CAF Confederations Cup. Despite the club failing to progress, Annan was of the Kotoko players who exited the tournament with their heads held high.

The goalkeeper recently made his international debut, but he remains a strong contender to keep the sticks for Ghana during the AFCON in Egypt.

Perhaps his inexperience may count against him, but he has consistently proven that he has the courage and brevity to be the Black Stars’ no.1.

Annan was in superb form for the Porcupine Warriors during the Normalisation Committee Special Competition and is primed to take his form into the AFCON.

He may look diminutive, but Annan looks like he could man the post for Ghana for the next decade, and his journey to greatness begins in Egypt.

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Richard Ofori
Richard Ofori (born 1 November 1993), is a Ghanaian footballer who plays for Maritzburg United of the South African Premier Division and the Ghana national football team as a goalkeeper.

Ofori spent a number of seasons with Westland FC (a second division club in Accra) before he joined Wa Allstars of Wa, Ghana. He has continuously been linked with moves to South Africa or Europe after his highly praised performances in the Ghanaian Premier League and went on trial with Cape Town City in late 2016. He was voted best goalkeeper in the 2015 season and was instrumental in the All-Stars' clinching of their first ever title in 2016, again being voted the best goalkeeper.

He is currently contracted to Maritzburg United for a three year period.

Ofori played at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup, making one appearance in the third-place match, keeping a clean-sheet against Iraq.

He later appeared for the Ghana U23, playing at the 2015 African Games.

He was first called up to the senior national team for 2016 African Nations Championship qualification, where he played both legs against the Ivory Coast. He was later called up by head coach Avram Grant for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

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Lawrence Ati-Zigi
Lawrence Ati-Zigi (born 29 November 1996) plays for French Ligue 2 side Sochaux as a goalkeeper.

On 7 June 2018, Ati-Zigi made his senior national team debut for Ghana, starting and playing 90 minutes in a friendly match against Iceland that ended in a 2–2 draw.

Ati-Zigi graduated from the defunct Red Bull Academy in Sogokope before moving to Austria.

He played for Liefering in the second-tier side.
Ati-Zigi played for Ghana at the 2013 CAF U17 Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Defenders

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John Boye

John Boye (born 23 April 1987) is a Ghanaian international professional footballer who plays as a defender for Metz.

Born in Accra, Boye began his career with Schwepps' youth academy, where he played alongside Mohammed Iddi, he then later went on to play at Pro Consult Sports Academy and Miracle FC.

Boye moved to Stade Rennais (Rennes) on 29 July 2008 after a two-week trial, he first arrived at Rennes on loan on 1 September 2008 from Ghana Premier League club Heart of Lions with an option to buy and returned to Heart of Lions on 30 June 2009.

Boye had long been a target for Rennes, but an early attempt from Rennes to sign him in 2009 broke down when it was claimed that he had already signed a deal with the Israeli club, Hapoel Petach Tikva.

In July 2009, the situation had been wrapped up by Heart of Lions, allowing Rennes to complete the move before the summer transfer window 2009 deadline, he signed a contract on 10 July 2009, completing his move from his former club Heart of Lions to Stade Rennais.

Boye left Turkish side Sivasspor following the expiration of his contract in June 2018.

On 21 June 2018, FC Metz officially announced the capture of John on a four-year deal, keeping him at the club till June 2022.

On 17 June 2008, Boye was called up for the Ghana, making his debut on 22 June 2008 against Gabon. Boye was included in the Ghana national team's 23-man squad for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in January 2012 and he made his tournament debut in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations match against Botswana on 24 January 2012.

He was part of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations team that took a silver medal after they lost to Ivory Coast in an 8-9 penalty shoot out.

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Baba Rahman
Abdul Rahman Baba (born 2 July 1994), known as Baba Rahman, is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Ligue 1 club Reims, on loan from Chelsea of the Premier League, and the Ghana national team.

Beginning his career at Dreams FC, he played in the Ghanaian Premier League with Asante Kotoko. In 2012, he signed for Bundesliga club Greuther Fürth, where he spent two seasons. He then played for FC Augsburg before joining Chelsea in 2015 for a fee of £14 million, potentially rising to £22 million.

Rahman made his international debut in 2014 and was part of their squad which were runners-up at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

Rahman began his career at Dreams FC of the Ghana Division Two. After impressive performances, he was then transferred on loan to Asante Kotoko of the Ghanaian Premier League for one season.

For the 2012 season, Rahman was a finalist for the league's Discovery of the Year Award, eventually losing to Joshua Oniku. After becoming a sought after player during his time with the Kumasi-based club, serious enquiries were made about the player by Manchester City and Arsenal of the Premier League and Parma of Serie A.

However, Rahman eventually signed with newly promoted Greuther Fürth in the Bundesliga on 12 June 2012. Rahman stated that his decision to join Fürth was because the club offered, "the best conditions in which to develop my career." In the derby against 1. FC Nürnberg on 11 August 2014 he scored his first two goals for Fürth in a 5–1 home victory. The next day he signed with FC Augsburg of the same division.

In Rahman's 2014–15 season with Augsburg, he made 108 tackles, more than any other player in the Bundesliga that season. Using aspects of his strength and pace, he was able to win 90 of those tackles, coming out to an 83% successful tackle rate. That season, Rahman also had 83 interceptions and won 80 contested aerial balls.

On 16 August 2015, Rahman signed for Chelsea on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee, reported to be an initial £14 million, rising to a potential fee of almost £22 million. He made his debut on 16 September in a UEFA Champions League tie, playing the full 90 minutes in a 4–0 win at home to Maccabi Tel Aviv. He made his Premier League debut in a 2–0 win over Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on 17 October.

Rahman has played an important role at left-back in a couple of Chelsea's victories including their 2–1 Champions League win over Dynamo Kyiv; Sportsmail's Bob Treasure said that Rahman "was very lively at left back" and that he "showed excellent anticipation to make a handful of interceptions and start attacking moves." Rahman also played the full 90 minutes against French side Paris Saint-Germain in Chelsea's 2–1 Champions League defeat on 16 February 2016. Rahman was presented with this opportunity following the injuries to centre-backs Kurt Zouma and John Terry. Although Chelsea failed to stop PSG from scoring twice, "Rahman looked like a class full back" according to Kristian Downer for Metro.co.uk.

On 27 February, Rahman made an error which allowed Southampton's Shane Long to score in the 42nd minute; he was substituted for Kenedy at half time but Chelsea eventually won 2–1 at St. Mary's.

On 2 August 2016, Schalke confirmed that Baba Rahman has moved on a season-long loan to the club after failing to impress the new Chelsea manager Antonio Conte during pre-season. Baba was given the number 14 jersey for the upcoming season. His return to Bundesliga links him back with former Augsburg manager, Markus Weinzierl.

After the completion of this loan move, Rahman told the local paper Ruhr Nachrichten, Antonio Conte advised him to leave on loan because he was mainly focused on a defensive philosophy. With the defensive focus, Rahman was told his playing time would be very limited due to his attacking style.

Rahman made his competitive debut for the Gelsenkirchen team on 20 August, as a winger instead of a defender in a 4–1 victory against FC 08 Villingen in the first round of the DFB-Pokal. He made his league debut on 27 August, coming on for Sead Kolašinac in the 62nd minute of an eventual 1–0 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt on the first day of the season. Rahman scored his first goal for Schalke on 15 September, the game's only in a Europa League victory at OGC Nice.

In January 2018, Rahman joined FC Schalke 04 on loan for the second time agreeing an 18-month stay until summer 2019.

In January 2019, he returned early to Chelsea and was immediately loaned to Stade de Reims until the end of the season.

Rahman played every minute of Ghana's campaign at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea, providing the cross from which André Ayew headed in the winner against South Africa to win Group C. In the final against the Ivory Coast, Rahman scored in the penalty shootout in which his team lost 9–8.

Rahman has "Baba" on the back of his jersey, the name of his Chelsea-supporting father. Baba went to the prestigious Notre Dame Seminary Senior High School in Navrongo for his second cycle education. In May 2016, Baba got married to his longtime childhood girlfriend, Selma, in their hometown of Tamale in northern Ghana.

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Kasim Nuhu
Kasim Adams Nuhu (born 22 June 1995), simply known as Kasim, is a Ghanaian footballer who plays for German club 1899 Hoffenheim as a central defender.

Born in Kumasi, Kasim graduated with local Medeama SC's youth setup, and made his senior debut on 14 April 2013, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 0–0 away draw against Heart of Lions FC for the Ghana Premier League championship. In November he moved to CD Leganés, being assigned to the club's youth setup.

In January 2014 Kasim joined RCD Mallorca in a three-year loan deal, with a € 200,000 buyout clause, and was initially assigned to the reserves in Tercera División. He appeared in 17 matches during the campaign and scored two goals (against Penya Ciutadella and CD Atlético Rafal), as his side returned to Segunda División B at first attempt.

On 28 September 2014, Kasim played his first match as a professional, starting and scoring a brace in a 3–3 home draw against FC Barcelona B for the Segunda División championship. He was subsequently made a starter by manager Valeri Karpin, overtaking Agus and Joan Truyols.

Kasim lost his first team place after the arrival of new manager Fernando Vázquez, being demoted to fifth choice. On 25 August 2016, he was loaned from Mallorca to Swiss club BSC Young Boys, for one year.

He was part of the Young Boys squad that won the 2017–18 Swiss Super League, their first league title for 32 years.

On 25 July 2018, it was announced that Nuhu would join 1899 Hoffenheim on a five-year contract.

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Andy Yiadom
Andrew Kyere Yiadom (born 2 December 1991) is a professional footballer who plays for Championship club Reading and the Ghanaian national team. He can play as a full back or as a winger.

Yiadom was born in Holloway, London. He started his career in the youth team of Watford but wasn't offered a professional contract at the end of his scholarship. He signed for Conference Premier club Hayes & Yeading United in the summer of 2010.

He only stayed for one season at Hayes before moving on to newly promoted Conference Premier club Braintree Town in August 2011, following a trial at League Two club Bristol Rovers. Yiadom scored seven goals by January 2012.

He was signed by League Two club Barnet on 31 January 2012. He made his debut for the Bees on 18 February 2012 in a 2–1 defeat to Shrewsbury Town, coming on as a substitute for Mark Hughes. He scored his first goal for the club on 10 March whilst coming on as a substitute in a 2–1 win against Port Vale.

Yiadom played an important role during Barnet's 2012–13 season. He was preferred as the right-sided winger in Edgar Davids' 4–5–1 formation, with Ricky Holmes on the opposite wing. Yiadom became popular with fans for his pace, which he used to good effect on the wing, where he posed a threat to many opposition teams.

Similar to Mark Byrne, Yiadom was used at times as a replacement right-back following injuries and suspensions to first choice Barry Fuller. He started the last match at Underhill Stadium against Wycombe Wanderers, helping the Bees to a 1–0 win. His impressive performance earned him a spot in the Barnet lineup on the final match of the season against Northampton Town, though in his unnatural position of right back, with new signing Keanu Marsh-Brown being preferred to start on the right wing. Yiadom scored three goals in 31 appearances during the 2012–13 season.

Yiadom joined Barnsley in May 2016 for a free transfer, on a two-year contract. He made 32 appearances for Barnsley in his first season, helping them retain Championship status impressing at right back. He was offered a new deal by Barnsley on 30 July 2017, which he turned down.

On 10 August 2017, after rejecting two bids from Premier League side Huddersfield Town, Barnsley agreed a fee with Huddersfield (believed to be around £3 million) for the signing with the player to undertake a medical to complete the move, However, on 18 August 2017, the move collapsed and Yiadom returned to Barnsley.

On transfer deadline day 31 August 2017, Yiadom had agreed to join Premier League side Swansea City, however on 1 September it was announced that the paperwork submitted for the move had not gone through before the 23:00 BST transfer window deadline and the move was thus not sanctioned, leading Yiadom to return to Barnsley.

He was made Barnsley captain during the 2017–18 season.

On 17 May 2018, Yiadom agreed to join Reading at the end of his contract, joining up with the Royals on 1 July after signing a four-year contract.

Yiadom was born in England to Ghanaian parents. He was called up to the English national C team and was named their player of the year in 2015. In November 2016 he was called up to the Ghanaian national team. He made his debut for Ghana in a 1–0 2017 Africa Cup of Nations loss to Egypt.

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Lumor Agbenyenu
Lumor Agbenyenu (born 15 August 1996), commonly known as Lumor, is a Ghanaian footballer who plays as a left-back for Turkish Club Göztepe S.K., on loan from Sporting CP.

As a youngster growing up in native Ghana, Lumor Agbenyenu played in the Wassaman Utd schools and was an international for Ghana youngsters. In July 2014, Lumor finally had the opportunity of going to European football when he was loaned to FC Porto, playing for a season in the Junior team.

In the following season after impressing in the junior teams of Porto, he loaned again to Portimonense S.C. and eventually in February 2016 exerted the option to buy the pass of the young left-back.

In January 2017 he was loaned to TSV 1860 München from the 2. Bundesliga, where he played regularly, but at the end of the season he returned to Portimonense after making his debut in Ghana's main national team.

In January 2018, when Lumor was being negotiated by PSV Eindhoven, Sporting CP anticipated and secured the contest of the Ghanaian player, securing 50% of the economic rights of his pass for 2.5 million Euros with the possibility of acquiring in the future another 30% for a value stipulated in 1 million Euros.

Lumor signed a long term contract with Sporting CP, with the goal of replacing the Argentinian Jonathan Silva that had been loaned to AS Roma.

Agbenyenu made his debut for the Ghana national football team in a 5–0 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification win over Ethiopia on 11 June 2017

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Jonathan Mensah
Jonathan Mensah (born 13 July 1990), commonly known simply as Jonathan, is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays for MLS club Columbus Crew SC as a defender. He previously played for AshantiGold, Free State Stars, Granada, Evian, and Anzhi Makhachkala. Jonathan has represented the Ghana national team at two World Cups.

Mensah joined Free State Stars in the 2008 off-season and was signed from top Ghanaian side Ashanti Gold. In July 2009, there was speculation about a possible move to Greek club Panathinaikos, but Mensah ultimately decided to stay at his South African club.

In January 2010, after joining Udinese, he moved to Spanish club Granada on loan.

On 8 July 2011, Mensah moved to newly promoted French Ligue 1 side Evian, signing a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee.

During the 2012-13 season, Mensah struggled with fitness and form. He played six games with the reserve side in the Champion at de France Amateur level 2.

He returned to the first team in 2013, and featured in the club's opening game of the 2013-14 Ligue 1 campaign, playing the full ninety minutes in the club's 1-1 draw with Sochaux on 10 August 2013.

On 23 February 2016, Jonathan signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with Russian Premier League club Anzhi Makhachkala; according to reports, the transfer fee for the defender was just €150,000, with a 20% sell-on clause tacked on as part of the agreement.

On 3 January 2017, it was announced that Major League Soccer club Columbus Crew SC had signed Jonathan as the fifth Designated Player in club history. He became the second DP on the Columbus roster at the time, alongside Federico Higuaín.

It would later be revealed that Jonathan would be the highest-earning Ghanaian player in MLS, just ahead of David Accam, making nearly $850,000 for the first year of his deal.

Jonathan made his debut in the Ghanaian international setup at the 2009 African Youth Championship, where he earned his first three youth international caps and helped the Ghana U20s claim their third-ever continental title. In the final, he had a goal-line clearance in the 58th minute to help preserve a 2–0 victory over Cameroon.

Jonathan was then called up for the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup, first being named to the provisional squad and then selected as part of the final roster. He appeared in six of the Black Satellites' seven matches at the tournament, marshalling the defense as Ghana went all the way to the final. There, against four-time champions Brazil, Ghana claimed their first U20 World Cup with a 4–3 penalty kick victory after 120 scoreless minutes. Jonathan had his kick in the shootout saved by Rafael but was bailed out when Daniel Agyei saved each of the next three Brazilian kicks. He finished his eligibility at U20 level having appeared nine times.

Thanks to his youth performances, Jonathan was called up for the first time to the Ghana senior team; he made his debut for the Black Stars against Uganda on 31 May 2009.

He was included in the squad for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations, although he did not make an appearance as Ghana went to the final before being defeated by Egypt. Jonathan did enough, however, to earn a call-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where he was given the number 8 shirt usually worn by Michael Essien.

With first-choice centre back Isaac Vorsah out injured, Jonathan established himself as a central defensive partner for John Mensah. He would go on to play two out of three group stage games, as well as the round of 16 win against the United States.

Jonathan established himself as a starter following the World Cup, including scoring his first goal for Ghana in a friendly against Togo on 8 February 2011. He was named to the squad to appear at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, the final edition of the tournament in even-numbered years before being moved to avoid conflicts with the World Cup. Jonathan played twice during the group stage but lost his place in the lineup during the knockout stage to John Boye before returning for the third place match, a 2–0 defeat to Mali.

He was again named in the squad a year later, called up for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations alongside his club teammate Mohammed Rabiu. However, Jonathan played just once during the tournament, as a halftime substitute in the third-place play-off to replace Boye.

On 12 May 2014, Jonathan was named in Ghana's 30-man preliminary squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup; he was then named to the final squad on 2 June. He started every match at the tournament for the Black Stars, although they failed to advance out of the group with a record of one draw and two defeats.

After appearing six times during qualifying, Jonathan played every minute of Ghana's 2015 Africa Cup of Nations campaign, helping them reach the final. There, the Black Stars lost in a penalty shootout against Ivory Coast, although Jonathan made his penalty as the sixth taker for Ghana. Two years later, at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, Jonathan was initially named to the preliminary squad on 2 January; one day later, he left camp to complete a transfer move to Columbus Crew SC. He was still named to the final squad on 4 January but played just twice in Gabon. One of those appearances came in the third place play-off, as Ghana were defeated on a goal from Alain Traoré of Burkina Faso.

Ghana had appeared in three consecutive World Cups before failing to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Jonathan appeared five times during the qualification cycle for the Black Stars, including both games in the second round against Comoros. Although Ghana finished third in their group in the third round, and therefore failed to qualify for Russia 2018, Jonathan wore the captain's armband for the Black Stars for the first time: against Congo on 5 September 2017, with Ghana claiming a 5–1 victory that was their only win in the third round.

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Joseph Aidoo
Joseph Aidoo (born 29 September 1995) is a Ghanaian footballer who plays for Genk in the Belgian First Division A.

He started his professional football career at Inter Allies in the First Capital Plus Premier League. In 2013–14, Aidoo was nominated in the category "Defender of the year" in the Ghana Premier League, but eventually missed out on the award. Aidoo was the club captain during the season of 2014–15.

In August 2015, Swedish team Hammarby in Allsvenskan signed Aidoo on a six-month loan deal. He made his debut, and his only appearance during the season, against then reigning champions Malmö FF on 25 October 2015. Even though Hammarby lost with a score of 0–1, Aidoo put on an impressive performance being voted "Hammarby player of the game".

Before the 2016 Allsvenskan season, he signed for Hammarby permanently on a three-year deal. He made his first league appearance of the season against Malmö FF on 18 May, playing the first half before being substituted at halftime.

Mid through the campaign, manager Nanne Bergstrand chose to swap the two central defenders, with Aidoo and newly signed David Boo Wiklander making their entrances as regular starters. Out of the following 11 games, Hammarby won an impressive 7 – also keeping a clean sheet in 6 consecutive away fixtures. Aidoo scored his first competitive goal for Hammarby on 12 September 2016, in a 1–1 draw against Örebro SK on home turf.

Aidoo started out the 2017 season in fine form, with Hammarby only conceding 5 goals in the 6 first matches. Aidoo's performances led to him being named in April's best eleven for African players over the world, in the magazine Goal.

On 24 July 2017, Aidoo completed a transfer to Genk in the Belgian First Division A. He signed a three-year contract with the club, with an option for a further. The transfer fee was reportedly set between €1.25 million and €2 million. He made his debut for the side on 26 August, coming on as a late substitute, in a 1–0 home win against Mechelen. Aidoo scored his first goal for Genk in a 1–0 win against the domestic giants Anderlecht on 22 October, and was also voted as the "man of the match". Between 23 September and 19 November, Genk went on an eight matches long unbeaten streak (five wins and three draws) in the league, with Aidoo starting all of the fixtures.

Aidoo featured in the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup for Ghana. He played all four of his side's fixtures, with Ghana eventually getting eliminated by Mali in the quarterfinals. He was also called up to the African U-20 Championship earlier the same year, where Ghana finished in third place.

He made his debut for the Ghana national football team on 26 March 2019 in a friendly against Mauritania.

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Joseph Attamah
Joseph Larweh Attamah (born 22 May 1994) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Turkish club İstanbul Başakşehir F.K.

Born in Ghana, Attamah started his career with local side Tema Youth where he played at least 15 Ghana Premier League matches without a goal.

On August 2014 he moved abroad for the first time joining Turkish First Division side Adana Demirspor. Attamah currently plays for the Ghana national team.

He played in the Turkey 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup, scoring one goal. During the Under 20 world cup in Turkey, he was scouted by some agents who represent Adana Demirspor. They then signed him in 2014.

Midfielders

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Mubarak Wakaso

Mubarak Wakaso (born 25 July 1990) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Deportivo Alavés as a midfielder.

Born in Tamale, Northern Region, Wakaso began his senior career in Ashanti Gold SC. In 2008, he moved abroad and signed with Elche CF in Spain on a five-year contract, but only joined the club nearly two months later, however, due to international duty.

In late January 2011, after several bouts of indiscipline and internal codes violations, Wakaso was released by the Valencians. Shortly after, he joined another side in the region and Segunda División, Villarreal CF's B-team.

On 27 February 2011, Wakaso made his La Liga debut, coming on as a substitute for José Catalá in the last minutes of a 2–2 away draw against Racing de Santander. He only played six matches in his first full season, and the Yellow Submarine was also relegated after 12 years in the top flight.

Wakaso signed for RCD Espanyol on 11 July 2012, penning a four-year contract. He started in 23 of his league appearances for the Catalans in his first and only season.

In the last days of the 2013 summer transfer window, Wakaso moved to the Russian Premier League with FC Rubin Kazan.

On 28 August 2014 he joined Celtic, on a season-long loan.

Wakaso scored on his competitive debut for Celtic, netting the first in a 2–2 away draw against FC Red Bull Salzburg in the UEFA Europa League group stage. On 30 August 2015, after appearing rarely, he was loaned to UD Las Palmas for one year.

On 10 July 2016, Wakaso signed a three-year contract with Superleague Greece club Panathinaikos F.C. for an undisclosed fee. On 15 September, in the last minute of a Europa League group phase home fixture against AFC Ajax, he was sent off – as teammate Ivan Ivanov midway through the second half of the eventual 1–2 home loss– and UEFA subsequently suspended him a further two games after his initial ban was over.

On 1 February 2017, Wakaso was loaned to another Spanish top flight side, Granada CF. He scored his first club for them on 1 March, helping to a 2–1 home win over Deportivo Alavés.

On 17 July 2017, the day after mutually terminating his contract, Wakaso signed a three-year deal with Deportivo Alavés.

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Thomas Partey
Thomas Teye Partey (born 13 June 1993), often simply known as Thomas, is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Atlético Madrid and the Ghana national team as a defensive midfielder.

Born in Krobo Odumase, Thomas was a product of local Odometah FC's youth ranks. He signed a contract with Atlético Madrid in 2011 and was subsequently moved to the reserves a year later. On 10 March 2013, Thomas was called up to the main squad for the match against Real Sociedad. However, he remained unused in the eventual 0–1 home defeat.

On 12 July, Thomas was loaned to RCD Mallorca, freshly relegated to the second level. On 18 August, he made his professional debut, in a 0–4 away defeat against CE Sabadell FC. Thomas scored his first professional goal on 15 September, netting his side's second of a 2–2 draw at Hércules CF

On 27 July 2014, Thomas joined La Liga side UD Almería also in a temporary deal. He made his debut in the competition on 23 August, starting in a 1–1 home draw against RCD Espanyol.

Thomas scored his first goals in the main category of Spanish football on 11 April 2015, netting a brace in a 3–0 home win against Granada CF.

He made his first-team debut for Atleti on 28 November 2015, replacing Luciano Vietto in a 1–0 home win against Espanyol. On 2 January of the following year, he scored his first league goal for the club, netting the games only in a home success over Levante UD.

On 28 May, Thomas played in the UEFA Champions League Final against Real Madrid, replacing Koke in the 116th minute as his side lost on penalties.

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Kwadwo Asamoah
Kwadwo Asamoah (born 9 December 1988 in Accra) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or defender for Italian club Inter Milan.

He began his professional career with Italian club Udinese in 2008; his consistent performances earned him a transfer to Juventus in 2012, where, with his energy, versatility, and technical skills, he played a key role in helping the club to six consecutive Serie A titles between 2013 and 2018, among other titles, although his appearances at the club were limited by injuries during his later seasons. He joined Inter in 2018. At the international level, he has represented Ghana in four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, and two FIFA World Cups.

Asamoah was awarded CAF Most Promising African Player in 2010 and named Ghana Player of the Year twice consecutively for 2012 and 2013. In 2013, Asamoah was ranked as the 27th best footballer in the world by Bloomberg.

Asamoah was scouted playing for a local based club, which belongs to Kamara and was recommended by the scout Mr. Charles Mensah Gapson to the late Alhaji Sly Tetteh, former CEO of Liberty Professionals. He joined Swiss club Bellinzona and was loaned to Italian side Torino in the winter of 2007–08.

In June 2008, Asamoah was signed by Serie A club Udinese where he established himself and became a linchpin for both club and country. After some good performances at the 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations, he became a target of top clubs in Europe.

Asamoah and Udinese teammate Mauricio Isla both joined Juventus in July 2012 on co-ownership agreements, with Juventus paying €9 million for 50% of Asamoah's contract. He made his debut on 11 August 2012 against Napoli in the 2012 Supercoppa Italiana, scoring a goal as Juventus went on to win 4–2 after extra time.

Due to his impressive performance against Napoli, Antonio Conte, who was Juventus's coach at the time, decided to start him in the opening league match of the 2012–13 season, against Parma, on 25 August: he made an immediate impact, by setting up Stephan Lichtsteiner's goal in a 2–0 home win.

On 16 September, he scored his first goal with his new club in a 3–1 away league win over Genoa. Juventus went on to win the Serie A title that season. Asamoah was bought outright by Juventus in June 2013, signing a four-year deal with the club.

On 9 March 2014, Asamoah scored a notable goal in a 1–0 home victory over Fiorentina, as Juventus went on to defend the Serie A title and the Supercoppa Italiana that season.

During the 2014–15 season, Asamoah suffered a severe knee injury in the 10th league match of the season, on 1 November 2014, against Empoli, ruling him out for most of the season. He was only first able to return to the team and resume training towards the end of the season, as Juventus won the Serie A title; he was therefore not able to appear in Juventus's Coppa Italia victory over Lazio in the final. He returned to the pitch on 23 May 2015, in a 3–1 home win over Napoli.

On 23 July 2016, Asamoah started for Juventus as captain on pitch in the opening game of 2016 International Champions Cup Australian version, as the club were drawn 1–1 with Melbourne Victory (Melbourne Victory won 4–3 on penalties), at Melbourne's Melbourne Cricket Ground.

On 25 September 2016, it was confirmed that Asamoah would be sidelined for six weeks after limping off the pitch a day before away to Palermo with a sprained right knee; tests at the J-Medical centre revealed he suffered the complete tear of the medial meniscus ligament.

In January 2018, it was reported that Asamoah chose not to renew his contract with Juventus, which was set to expire in June later that year. He made his 150th appearance for Juventus in a 0–0 away draw against S.P.A.L. in Serie A, on 17 March.

In July 2018, Lega Serie A's registration confirmed that Asamoah had agreed to become an Inter player in May 2018; the signing was confirmed officially on 2 July. He made his Inter debut on 19 August, in a 1–0 away defeat to Sassuolo, the first match of the 2018–19 Serie A season.

On the international level, Asamoah was given his debut for the Ghana national team, Black Stars, in 2006, under French manager Claude Le Roy.

He represented Ghana in 2008 and 2010 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, winning a bronze and a silver medal in the respective tournaments, and later in the 2012 and 2013 editions. He also appeared for Ghana at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

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Thomas Agyepong
Thomas Agyepong (born 10 October 1996) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Manchester City. Agyepong has previously played on loan for Dutch clubs Twente and NAC Breda, and Scottish club Hibernian. He has also made five full international appearances for Ghana.

Agyepong joined Manchester City in 2015 from the Right to Dream Academy.

Agyepong was loaned to Dutch first division team FC Twente for the 2015–16 Eredivisie season. He made his debut on 4 October, appearing as a substitute in a 3–1 loss to AZ Alkmaar. His first start came on 24 October in a 3–1 loss to PSV Eindhoven playing 62 minutes. A shoulder injury suffered in March required surgery, which ended his season.

On 10 July 2016, Agyepong signed on loan with Dutch second division team NAC Breda for the 2016–17 season. He made his debut on 12 August, playing 61 minutes in a 2–1 win over Achilles '29. On 2 December, he scored his first goal for the club, in the 92 minutes of a 3–1 win over Almere City.

Scottish Premiership club Hibernian signed Agyepong on loan in August 2018, pending approval of a work permit application. Agyepong missed much of the 2018–19 season due to knee and thigh injuries.

Agyepong made his debut for the Ghana national football team in a 5–0 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification win over Ethiopia on 11 June 2017. He made four further appearances for Ghana during 2017, including two 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Congo. Despite his injury problems during the 2018–19 season, Agyepong was included in the provisional squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

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Afriyie Acquah
Afriyie Acquah (born 5 January 1992) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Italian club Empoli and the Ghana national team.

He speaks Italian, having learnt from his private tutor since he moved to Italy in 2010 and has a brother. Acquah said he had chosen shirt 94 in the dedication of his mother, who was involved in a car accident and survived that year.

Born in Sunyani, Brong-Ahafo, Ghana, Acquah began his career in Glentoran Football Academy in Sunyani, Ghana, which established by Christopher Forsythe an Irish National from Sunyani. During his Glentoran's career, Acquah was awarded as "Best Ghanaian midfielder's Under-14".

He later transferred to Bechem United as the Northern Irish club unable to sign him, due to work permit issues, despite travelling with Christopher Forsythe to Belfast to train with the first team. In April 2009, he played for Bechem United against Italian club Empoli.

On 1 February 2010, Palermo signed Acquah from D.C. United of Ghana for free, but €500,000 agent fee went to SCMG Sport Consulting & Management GmbH. Palermo was fined by FIGC as it violated the third-party ownership rule in April 2012. FIGC found that Acquah had signed a contract with the agent in June 2009 as he was unable to join any club aboard until he turned 18.

After choosing number 94 shirt, Acquah made his Palermo debut, coming on as a substitute for Giulio Migliaccio in the 32nd minutes, in 4-2 loss against Fiorentina on 13 February 2011. After making four appearances by the start of April, Acquah signed a five-year contract, keeping him until 2016.

On 16 July 2012, Palermo announced to have loaned Acquah to Serie A rivals Parma for €100,000; the agreement also includes an option for Parma to acquire half of the player's transfer rights by the end of the season.

In January 2013 moved to German Bundesliga club Hoffenheim for €2.5 million fee on a four-year deal but he was not given any opportunity to play a single match until the end of the 2012–13 season.

In July 2013, he returned to Parma on a season-long loan deal and won his place back, finishing 27 league appearances in the 2013–14 season. During the season, Acquah scored his first professional goal of his career, in a 4-2 loss against Roma on 2 April 2014. Subsequently, the loan was extended for another year.

In February 2015, his loan spell at Parma was terminated early and he moved to fellow Serie A side Sampdoria, again on loan. He made his Sampdoria debut, playing 90 minutes, in a 2–1 loss against Chievo.

On 19 June 2015, he was signed by Torino on a four-year contract.

On 17 August 2018, Acquah signed with Serie A team Empoli.

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Andre Ayew
André Morgan Rami Ayew (born 17 December 1989), also known as Dede Ayew in Ghana, is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe, on loan from Championship club Swansea City and the Ghana national team.

He is the second-born son of three-time African Footballer of the Year and FIFA 100 member Abedi "Pele" Ayew and has two brothers, Ibrahim and Jordan, who also are professional footballers. In 2011 Ayew was named the BBC African Footballer of the Year and Ghanaian Footballer of the Year.

Ayew began his career in Ghana, playing for Nania while debuting for the club at age 14. In 2005, he signed with his father's former club, Marseille, and spent two seasons in the club's youth academy before making his debut in the 2007–08 season.

Ayew spent the following two seasons on loan with Lorient and Arles-Avignon, helping the latter team earn promotion to Ligue 1for the first time.

In 2010, he returned to Marseille and became an integral part of the first team under manager Didier Deschamps, making over 200 appearances and winning consecutive Trophée des champions and Coupe de la Ligue in both 2010 and 2011.

On 10 June 2015, Premier League side Swansea City announced that Ayew had joined the club on a free transfer, signing a four-year contract with the Swans pending Premier League and international clearance.

Ayew scored his first goal for the club on his debut against Chelsea on 8 August 2015 in a 2–2 draw. On 15 August 2015, Ayew scored his second goal in his second game for Swansea in their 2–0 victory against Newcastle United. He continued his form in the next league fixture against Manchester United, where he scored and created an assist.

Ayew was named Premier League Player of the Month for August 2015 and also received Swansea's monthly award the GWFX Player of the Month for August after making an immediate impact, scoring three goals in his first four league appearances.

On 8 August 2016, Ayew signed for West Ham United for a then club record fee of £20.5 million on a three-year contract, with the option of an extra two years.

Ayew's debut game for West Ham, on 15 August 2016, against Chelsea, lasted 35 minutes before he was substituted after sustaining a thigh injury. He returned to first team action on 26 October 2016 in a 2–1 home win against Chelsea in the EFL Cup.

On 26 December 2016 Ayew scored his first West Ham goal. Playing away at his former club, Swansea City, Ayew scored the first goal in a 4–1 West Ham win. Ayew left West Ham in January 2018 having scored 12 goals in 50 games in all competitions.

On 31 January 2018, Ayew completed a deadline day return to former club Swansea City for a reported £18 million rising to £20 million with add-ons until the end of the 2020-21 season.

In July 2018, Ayew joined Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe on a season-long loan. The deal reportedly included an option for the club to sign Ayew permanently at the end of the loan period.

Ayew has been a full international for Ghana since 2008 and has earned over 65 caps. At youth level, he starred for and captained the under-20 team that won both the 2009 African Youth Championship and the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

He has played in two FIFA World Cups (2010 and 2014), as well as five Africa Cup of Nations (2008, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2017), helping them finish runner-up in 2010 and 2015, and was top goal scorer at the latter.

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Christian Atsu

Christian Atsu Twasam (born 10 January 1992) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Newcastle United and the Ghanaian national team.

He primarily plays as a winger, although he has also been deployed as an attacking midfielder.

He began his career with Porto, also spending a season on loan at Rio Ave.

In 2013, he was signed by Chelsea for £3.5 million, who subsequently loaned him to Vitesse Arnhem, Everton, AFC Bournemouth and Málaga.

After spending the 2016–17 season on loan at Newcastle United, he completed a permanent transfer to the club in May 2017.

Atsu won his first senior cap for Ghana on 1 June 2012 against Lesotho, scoring in the process. He was described by the BBC as an "excellent prospect", whilst ESPN added he was "quick and technically impressive", and a potential future star for his national team.

The following year, he was in the Ghanaian squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. He started the first match, a 2–2 draw against the DR Congo, and was a substitute in the following 1–0 win over Mali.

He returned to the starting line-up in the last group match against Niger in Port Elizabeth, scoring the second goal of a 3–0 win which put his country into the quarter-finals as group winners.

Atsu featured in the rest of Ghana's matches as they came fourth, scoring in their penalty shootout elimination by Burkina Faso.

Atsu was selected for the 2014 FIFA World Cup squad, starting in all the matches as Ghana were eliminated in the group stage.

At the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, Atsu scored twice in a 3–0 win over Guinea in the quarter-finals. He helped the team to the final, where they lost in a penalty shootout against the Ivory Coast.

At the end of the tournament, he was awarded with both the Player of the Tournament award, as well as the Goal of the Tournament award for his strike against Guinea.

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Samuel Owusu
Samuel Kwame Owusu (born 28 March 1996) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Serbian club Čukarički.

He comes from Asamang in the Ashanti Region.He started his basic school at Great Redeemer International located in Asamang.

Samuel Kwame Owusu went to Tweneboah Koduah Senior High School.

Born in Accra, Owusu played for Red Bull Ghana and Vision in his homeland, before moving abroad to Serbia and joining Radnik Surdulica in August 2014.

He made 12 appearances in the 2014–15 Serbian First League, helping the club win the title and promotion to the top flight.

In the 2015–16 Serbian SuperLiga, Owusu started playing more regularly, scoring seven times in 30 games. He signed a one-year extension with the club in May 2016.

In June 2016, Owusu was transferred to Turkish club Gençlerbirliği on a two-year deal with an option for another year.

The transfer fee was reportedly €200.000. He made three appearances in the 2016–17 Turkish Cup, scoring one goal in a 6–0 home victory over Amed.

In August 2017, Owusu returned to Serbia and joined Čukarički, penning a three-year contract and receiving the number 19 shirt. He scored four times in 30 games during the 2017–18 Serbian SuperLiga.

In May 2019, Owusu was included in Ghana's 29-man provisional squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

In June 2019, Owusu was included in final 23-man squad that will represent the Black Stars during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Strikers

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Asamoah Gyan
Asamoah Gyan (born 22 November 1985) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Kayserispor and is the former captain of the Ghanaian national team.

Gyan began his career in 2003 with Ghanaian Premier League club Liberty Professionals scoring ten goals in sixteen matches then spent three seasons with Serie A club Udinese via two seasons loan at Modena netting on fifteen occasions in 53 league matches and at Udinese where he scored 11 times in 39 league matches.

In 2008, Gyan joined Ligue 1 club Rennes, netting fourteen times in forty-eight league matches during two seasons. In 2010, Gyan joined Premier League club, Sunderland, breaking the club's transfer record and netting on ten occasions in thirty-four Premier League matches during two seasons.

In 2011, Gyan joined Al Ain of the UAE Pro-League on loan and became the league's top-goalscorer, scoring 24 times in 27 matches. In the following season, Gyan permanently joined Al Ain and once again became the league's top-goalscorer while he helped Al Ain retain the UAE Pro-League title, scoring an impressive 28 goals in 32 matches. In the 2013–14 season, Gyan scored on 44 occasions in 40 matches with Al Ain.

Gyan is the all-time leading goalscorer of the Ghana national team, with 51 goals. He represented Ghana at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. With 6 goals, he is the top African goalscorer in the history of the World Cup. Gyan has also represented Ghana at the 2004 Summer Olympics and in seven Africa Cup of Nations in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2017, helping them finish in third-place in 2008 and runner-up in 2010 and 2015.

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Jordan Ayew

Jordan Pierre Ayew (born 11 September 1991) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Crystal Palace on loan from Swansea City and the Ghana national team. He is the son of former Ghana captain Abedi Pele and brother of André Ayew, who plays for Fenerbahçe.

Ayew joined Marseille as a trainee in 2006. He signed a three-year professional contract with Marseille in 2009.

Jordan Ayew made his debut for the senior team on 16 December 2009 in a league match, scoring the equaliser against Lorient. Marseille went on to win the match 2–1.

Ayew scored his second goal against Nice at the Stade Vélodrome on 27 April 2011 in a match which saw his elder brother André Ayew score a hat-trick.

On 1 November 2011, Jordan and André both started a UEFA Champions League match for the first time against Premier League outfit Arsenal.

On 6 January 2014, he joined Ligue 1 rivals Sochaux on a loan deal until the end of the 2013–14 season.

On 28 July 2014, Ayew signed a four-year contract with Lorient. Ayew explained the style and quality of play that Lorient proposed was the reason behind the decision.

On 27 July 2015, Ayew joined Aston Villa on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee, reported to be in the region of £8 million.

He scored his first goal for the club on 24 October 2015 against his elder brother's club, Swansea City, in the 62nd minute.

Aston Villa were relegated at the end of the 2015–16 season, winning only 17 points, but Ayew did end the season as their top scorer, albeit with just seven goals.

On 31 January 2017, Jordan Ayew joined Swansea City until the end of the 2019-20 season in exchange for Welsh International defender Neil Taylor, plus a fee from Swansea that can rise to £5 million if undisclosed future conditions are met.

Jordan's elder brother was a Swansea City player during the 2015–16 season and later joined him in the winter transfer window of 2018.

On transfer deadline day, Ayew joined Crystal Palace on loan for the 2018–19 season.

Ayew made his first senior appearance for Ghana on 5 September 2010, in a 3–0 2012 AFCON Qualification match win against Swaziland, at the Somhlolo National Stadium in Lobamba, Swaziland.

On 1 June 2012, Ayew scored his first and second international goals in a 2014 World Cup qualification match win against Lesotho, at the Kumasi Sports Stadium in Kumasi, Ghana.

In December 2011, Ayew was named to the Ghana national team provisional 25-man squad for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, and in January 2012 he was selected for the tournament's 23-man squad.

In June 2014, he was included in the Ghanaian squad for the 2014 World Cup. In Ghana's last warm-up match before the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil on 9 June 2014, Ayew came on as a first-half substitute for the injured Majeed Waris and ended up scoring a hat-trick in a 4–0 victory over South Korea.

Jordan Ayew was part of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations team in Equatorial Guinea that took a silver medal as a result of losing out to Ivory Coast on a penalty shoot-out whom they clinch the African Cup, which occurred on 8 February 2015.

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Caleb Ekuban

Caleb Ansah Ekuban (born 23 March 1994) is a footballer for Turkish Süper Lig club Trabzonspor on loan from Leeds United as a striker. Born in Italy to Ghanaian parents, Ekuban declared for the Ghana national football team.

Ekuban is a striker known for his pace, technical ability and strong physique. His style of play and prolific goal scoring as a youngster in the Chievo youth team saw him likened to compatriot Mario Balotelli.

Caleb Ekuban was born in Villafranca di Verona, Italy, to Ghanaian parents, Rev. Kobina and Sabina Ekuban. Caleb's father is the district elder of the Pentecostal Assembly of Churches in Italy as well as an accountant and business entrepreneur.

Ekuban was one of seven children growing up in Italy. At the age of 10, his father was transferred to Mantova for ministerial duties and registered Ekuban along with two of his brothers with the Mantova youth team. Ekuban stood out and went on to be signed up by Chievo. He is fluent in Italian and is also able to speak Fanti, the major local dialect in the Central Region of Ghana.

After progressing through the youth system at Chievo, Ekuban was called up for the first time to the senior squad by the coach Eugenio Corini on 26 January 2013 for the Serie A match against Lazio, he remained an unused substitute as Chievo won 1–0 at Stadio Olimpico. Ekuban never appeared professionally for Chievo and was loaned out to four clubs over a four-year period and despite being contracted to the club until 2018, he was transferred to Leeds in July 2017.

In July 2013, Ekuban was sent on loan at Südtirol to gain more playing experience. In August he was the subject of racial abuse in a Coppa Italia first round match against Matera with the perpetrator later receiving a 10 match suspension.

He made his professional debut on 1 September by playing in the last 31 minutes of the 1–1 home draw against Reggiana. He scored his first goal later on 13 October, giving his side a point in the match against Venezia. However, his spell at the club was short-lived, and after making only seven league appearances, which only two of them as a starter, Ekuban left the club in January 2014.

In January 2014, Ekuban was loaned to fellow Lega Pro side Lumezzane for one and a half seasons. During his spell there, he played 48 league matches, scoring seven goals.

On 6 August 2015, Ekuban was loaned to Renate until the end of 2015–16 season. He played his first match for Renate on 6 September in a 1–0 away defeat to Mantova, playing the full 90 minutes. Ekuban scored his first goal of the season in his second league appearance for the new team on 13 September in the 1–1 home draw against Giana Erminio. He finished the 2015–16 season by playing 31 league matches, 24 of them as a starter, scoring 4 goals as Renate finished Group A in 11th position.

On 4 July 2016, Ekuban completed a season-long loan move to Albanian Superliga side Partizani Tirana for the 2016–17 season and was given the number 45. Six days later, was named in Partizani's final 23-man UEFA Champions League squad. He made his competitive debut on 13 July in the first leg of Champions League second qualifying round against Ferencvárosi, playing in the last 23 minutes of the 1–1 draw at Elbasan Arena. In the returning leg one week later, Ekuban played again as a substitute, and after the regular and extra time had finished in a 1–1 draw, the game was decided on penalty shootout where Ekuban successfully converted his penalty shootout attempt, helping Partizani to win 3–1.

Ekuban played full-90 minutes in both legs of Champions League third qualifying round against Red Bull Salzburg, who eliminated Partizani with the aggregate 3–0. Then, Partizani moved to Europa League play-off round where they faced Krasnodar, losing 4–0 on aggregate; Ekuban played full-90 minutes in both legs and finished his European campaign with six appearances.

Ekuban made his domestic debut on 7 September in the opening league match against Luftëtari Gjirokastër, finished in a 1–0 away win. He opened his scoring account later on 18 September in the matchday 3 against Teuta Durrës, scoring the second goal of the 2–0 away win.

He made his Albanian Cup debut on 7 October in the returning leg of the first round against Kevitan, scoring the fourth goal of the 4–0 win, helping the team to secure the progression to the next round with the aggregate 9–1. On 13 October, in Sulejman Starova's first match in charge, Ekuban scored both goals in a 2–0 away win at Laçi, returning Partizani in the winning ways after two matches. Ekuban finished the 16/17 season as second top scorer in the Albanian Superliga finishing the season with 17 league goals to his name (with 18 in all competitions). With his goals helping Partizani Tirana to a 2nd-place finish in the league and UEFA Europa League qualification.

On 11 July 2017, Leeds United announced the signing of Ekuban on a four-year contract from Serie A side Chievo Verona for an undisclosed fee. On 13 July, Ekuban revealed he was hoping to score goals like former Leeds legend and countryman Tony Yeboah. On 9 August 2017, he made his first-team debut in the League Cup tie 4–1 victory against Port Vale, with Ekuban scoring on his debut after an assist from Ezgjan Alioski, he also provided an assist for Samuel Saiz's hat trick goal in the same game.

On 19 August, Ekuban made his League debut against Sunderland replacing regular striker Chris Wood who pulled himself out the squad due to interest from a Premier League side. Ekuban, however, picked up an injury breaking a bone in his foot and had to be substituted in the second half.

He returned from injury against Middlesbrough on 19 November 2017, however, Ekuban broke his foot again on 10 December in Leeds' 1–3 victory against QPR. Ekuban returned to the matchday squad on 10 February against Sheffield United. On 30 March 2018, Ekuban scored his first League goal for Leeds against Bolton Wanderers.

With speculation that he was not in Marcelo Bielsa's plans, on 26 July 2018, Ekuban was not given a shirt number for Leeds for the upcoming 2018–19 season for Leeds.

On 29 August 2018, Ekbuan joined Turkish Süper Lig side Trabzonspor on a season-long loan. Ekuban made his debut coming on for Hugo Rodallega against Galatasaray in the 86th minute on 1 September 2018, scoring on his debut in a 4-0 victory.

This goal held significance for some Leeds United fans due to a rivalry with the Turkish side Galatasaray. Ekuban was praised after scoring an emotional goal for Trabzonspor in a 2-0 win against Kayserispor after playing after the passing of his mother, the goal sparked an emotional celebration with his team-mates as he burst into tears.

On 19 December 2018, Ekuban took his tally to 5 goals in all competitions, after scoring a brace in a 5-0 win over Sivas Belediyespor in the Turkish Cup. He scored his 6th goal of the season against İstanbul Başakşehir F.K. on 20 January 2019 in 4-2 defeat.

Ekuban is eligible to play for both Ghana and Italy at international level. On 12 July 2017, Ekuban revealed it is his intention to represent Ghana.

On 20 April 2018, Ekuban met with Ghana national team head coach Akwasi Appiah. In March 2019, Ekuban was called up to represent Ghana for 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification.

He scored his first competitive goal for the Black Stars of Ghana on his debut against the Harambee Stars of Kenya in an AFCON Qualifier on 23 March 2019 at the Accra Sports Stadium.

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Kwabena Owusu
Owusu Kwabena (born 18 June 1997), simply known as Owusu, is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Salamanca CF on loan from CD Leganés as a forward.

Owusu was born in Accra and moved to Spain in 2016. After having trials at Racing de Santander and AD Alcorcón B, he joined CD Toledo on loan in August, being initially assigned to the reserves in Tercera División.

Owusu made his senior debut on 31 August 2016, coming on as a second-half substitute and scoring all of his team's goals in a 2–0 home win against UB Conquense, for the season's Copa del Rey. He subsequently became a regular starter for the club, scoring eight goals as his side missed out promotion in the playoffs.

On 23 August 2017, Owusu signed a five-year deal with La Liga side CD Leganés. Eight days later, he was loaned to Real Oviedo in Segunda División, for one year.

Owusu made his professional debut on 9 September 2017, replacing Carlos Hernández in a 1–1 away draw against Sporting de Gijón. After eight league appearances, his loan was cut short the following 3 January, and he joined FC Cartagena on loan just hours later.

On 24 July 2018, Owusu was loaned to Salamanca CF still in the third division, for one year.

Samuel Ekow Amoasi Appiah
Samuel Ekow Amoasi Appiah

Sports JournalistPage: SamuelEkowAmoasiAppiah

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