Ghana is blessed with youthful talents in both home and abroad.
BUT, some are exceptionally great and are demonstrating outstanding prospects.
Below are the TOP 10 players under age 20 tipped for stardom you must know about as Ghana Sports scouting mavern El Akyereko runs the rule over the best.
1. Jeremy Doku (Anderlecht – Belgium)
Age: 16 || Position: Winger
New Eden Hazard to grace world football. Scouted by Liverpool but rigorously retained by Anderlecht.
With Premier League dreams in his vision the wing wizard is working tirelessly day in day out to grab the bar of greatness.
Doku is blessed with a cultured left foot and commands the flanks with the speed of G6 and finishes with some sadistic aura of a sort.
The youngster with the heart of a lion, was born in the small town of Borgerhout, a suburb of Antwerp to Ghanaian parents and holds Belgian passport. Talent hunters within the ranks of the European powerhouse spotted his qualities early and drafted him to the Belgian youth ranks.
A Facebook video has surfaced of Anderlecht fans singing his name during a U17 game.
2. Tariq Lamptey (Chelsea – England)
Age: 18 || Position: Wing-back
Lamptey, a Chelsea academy product, has been one of the talking points of this season’s UEFA Youth League final stages in Switzerland.
Been at Chelsea from Under 7 level and has maintained his development and consistency.
He was the kingpin as he humiliated Barcelona youngsters with his lightening pace and nimble feet qualities.
One of Europe’s highly rated youngsters and currently under consideration by Spanish titans Barcelona and Real Madrid for their reserves squad.
Capped by England and uncertain of Ghana future.
3. Michelle Sarpong (Hearts of Oak – Ghana)
Age: 18 || Position: Midfielder
Former Auroras captain promoted to the Phobians first team this season and is proving his mettle. Picked the MVP in Hearts’s win over Inter Allies in the Ghana FA NC Special Competition at the Tema Sports Stadium.
Awesome talent and great prospect at his age.
4. Charles Jesaja Hermann (Wolfsburg – Germany)
Age: 19 || Position: Forward
Born to former Ghana captain Charles Akonnor and plying his trade with Bundesliga side Wolfsburg.
Jesaja is currently representing European giants Germany at youth level though he could switch to play for Ghana one day at senior level.
5. David Boateng (Crystal Palace – England)
Age: 17 || Position: Midfielder
Despite being at the tender age of 16, the young midfield talisman featured in the Professional Development League in the 2017/18 season – a league specifically couched for first team reserves squad and players U23 category.
According to Crystal Palace website Boateng is a hard-working central midfielder who scurries around the middle of the park trying to break up attacks and start new ones.
Boateng moved to Palace from Arsenal and is growing through the ranks. Five years ago he managed to get a frustrated Jose Mourinho out of his dugout to walk to him at the Selhurt Park. The then Chelsea manager wanted to prevent a possible clash between Cesar Azpilicueta and the 12-year-old.
After hogging the headlines in most of Britain’s major news outlets he set to dominate the scenes once more. David Boateng scored on his debut for the Crystal Palace U18 at the tender age of 15.
6. Benjamin Mireku (Tema City FC – Ghana)
Age: 17 || Position: Offensive midfielder
The teenager Benjamin Mireku’s grace, finesse and subtlety at executing free-kicks is quickly elevating him above the local free-kick demigods and has been likened to English legend David Beckham and Brazilian magician Juninho.
The 17-year-old offensive midfielder has become reputable for converting free-kicks with cheeky ease in Ghana’s third-tier league.
Mireku, who is on the books of Tema City FC, is an intriguing prospect and is attracting foreign interests with Spanish and Italian clubs hotly on his wheels.
Mireku plays in the city where Atletico Madrid imported Thomas Teye Partey from Ghana to their junior team and Ghana Sports sources reveal the Wonda Metropolitano giants are harbouring intentions of landing him.
7. Enock Asante (Tottenham Hotspur – England)
Age: 17 || Position: Forward
Asante plays as a forward for the U18 side of English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.
Started his career with the White Hart Lane side.
Made his Under-18 debut in August 2018 against Norwich.
Born in Akuapim-Mampong he is eligible for either Ghana or England.
8. Samuel Asoma (Club Brugge – Belgium)
Age: 16 || Position: Midfielder
Real Madrid scouts were recently at a match when Asoma excelled for Belgium in the Euro U17 qualifiers as they whipped Hungary 4-2.
Asoma is a Belgium U17 international and has impressed Anfield scouts with his glittering display for both Belgium and Brugge U21 side.
The 16-year-old signed his first professional contract at Brugge last summer and has overly exceeded expectations at the club.
According to Ghana Sports sources, Brugge have laid plans to unleash him to the top-flight league in two seasons time.
9. Yunus Musah (Arsenal – England)
Age: 16 || Position: Central midfielder
Paul Pogba for the next generation.
Capped by England at U16 level although also eligible to represent Ghana, there was a considerable amount of speculation regarding Musah’s club future two summers ago as he was heavily linked with a move to Juventus.
There are further strings to his bow, too, as he has previously often played as a central midfielder, but, regardless of where he is used, Musah usually tends to make a major impact on matches.
10. Terry Ablade (Fulham – England)
Age: 17 || Position: Striker
Born in Accra but moved to Finland and has been described by Fulham’s official website as a ‘Finnish striker who has pace and power in abundance’.
He grabbed his Under-18s chance with both hands, scoring a brace in his first start against Southampton Under-18s. He has been on the fringes of Finland’s National team at the age of just 16.
The prodigious striker is a son of former Ghana U17 midfielder Seth Ablade who played for Ghana at the New Zealand 1999 FIFA U17 World Cup. The former Accra Angels Soccer Academy product is the current coach for Kakkonen side FC Jazz. Expected to break into the Fulham first team in four seasons.
By: El Akyereko
Follow the writer on Twitter: @AkwasiAkyereko
