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Sports News of Friday, 3 April 2020

Source: goal.com

Revealed: Ghana's next generation 2020

Anderlecht youngster Jeremy Doku Anderlecht youngster Jeremy Doku

On Tuesday, Goal revealed the NxGn 2020, a celebration of the 50 best young players in the world today.

The NxGn criteria ranks those talents born on or after January 1 2001, but who would make a Ghana-exclusive version of the Goal ranking?

Here are our top five NxGn-eligible Ghanaian wonderkids in the game today.

YUnus Musah

Once upon a time, Musah was one of the jewels in the crown of the Arsenal academy, having been one of the outstanding talents in the Gunners’ U-18 team.

However, last year the teenager rejected a scholarship with the Londoners to sign up with Valencia, who offered him a two-year deal and the opportunity to refine his immense talent in a new environment.

Musah scored five goals and contributed three assists for Arsenal’s youth team last term, and has already represented England at youth level.

Kelvin Ofori/b

Despite being only 18, Ofori has already hade his Bundesliga debut for Fortuna Dusseldorf, having moved to the German side after impressing on trial.

He joins an existing Ghanaian contingent at the club, although expectations are they he can kick on quicker than teammate Bernard Tekpetey, who has not progressed as some had hoped he would a year or two ago.

Ofori’s qualities have earned praise from new Dusseldorf coach Uwe Rosler, and after demonstrating his goalscoring qualities for the club’s youth side, he may have a role to play in Fortuna’s battle against relegation.

Brian Brobbey

Could Brobbey be the next great talent to emerge from the celebrated Ajax production line?

He’s certainly been making waves at the Dutch giants, and was the subject of transfer rumours linking him with a January deadline-day move to Real Madrid earlier this year.

This is testament to the 18-year-old’s innate qualities, although perhaps he could do well to establish himself at Ajax before moving onto a club where a route to the first-team might not be as straightforward.

Brobbey, who was born in Amsterdam, has represented the Netherlands up to U-17 level.

Jeremy Doku The 17-year-old Anderlecht starlet is of Ghanaian descent, although any hopes Black Stars have of him turning out for the West African giants may have to be put on ice, with Doku having already caught the eye for Belgium’s U-21 team.

He made his debut for Anderlecht as a 16-year-old in 2018, and had appeared primed to Premier League champions-elect Liverpool, no less, earlier in his career.

The youngster, who has also been linked with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, was reportedly tipped to be Sadio Mane’s successor by Jurgen Klopp.

Arvin Appiah

Another Amsterdam-born wonderkid eligible for Ghana, Appiah has—to date—opted to represent England at youth level, having represented the Three Lions at every level from U-16 to U-19.

He learned his trade with Nottingham Forest, making six Championship appearances last term before moving to Almeria in the summer…only months after signing a long-term deal with the two-time European champions.

Having moved for a reported £8 million fee, Appiah has some expectations to live up to, although Almeria are yet to truly see the best of this starlet, who’s yet to score in his 13 Segunda appearances to date.

The best, surely, is still to come for this wonderkid.