Arsenal have been linked with signing Ghanaian midfielder Afriyie Acquah. What is there to know about him?
Reports in Africa have linked Arsenal with a swoop for £10 million rated Ghanaian Afriyie Acquah.
The midfielder is set to play for his country at the African Nations Cup next year, and the club are planning to send scouts to watch him, before deciding to follow up their interest, meaning any deal is unlikely to go ahead this January, but rather next summer.
The player has famously been compared to fellow countryman Michael Essien, and is currently playing in Serie A.
Here are five facts about him…
1) Acquah is just 20, born in January 1992, four days after Paul Merson hit an equaliser for the Gunners away to Wimbledon in a 1-1 draw in the old first division.
2) He currently plays for Parma, where he is on loan until the end of the season from Palermo with who he signed in 2010, where the club’s sporting director described him as the next Essien.
3) Acquah is a defensive midfielder, and has been tipped by his former mentor to win the African Footballer of the Year award in the future and even eclipse Iniesta and Xavi.
4) Acquah has already played in Britain, honing his craft in Northern Ireland with FC Glentoran’s academy during 2007 and still maintains contact with the club who helped him on his way.
5) He is a Ghana international, scoring on only his second international appearance back in October against Malawi.
Have you seen Acquah play? Can he be good enough for Arsenal? Is he ready?
image: © jikatu
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