Dong-Bortey advises Ghana prodigy Kudus on ‘how to get to the top'

Former Ghana star Bernard Dong-Bortey has cautioned new-kid-on-the-block Mohammed Kudus against complacency to reach his full potential.

A reported target of Liverpool and Everton, the 19-year-old has risen to prominence with a run of good performances for club Nordsjaelland in the Danish league.

Rewarded with a maiden Ghana senior call-up in November last year, the former Ghana U17 and U20 attacker made the most of his opportunity as he netted on his debut to ensure a 2-0 triumph over South Africa in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

“I’ve heard of Mohammed Kudus,” Dong-Bortey told Goal.

“I started watching him from the 2015 Ghana U17s. He’s developing well. If only he won’t get swollen headed, he will make it.

“This is Africa for you. African players, we don’t aim high. If we achieve something little then we begin to descend.

“The young ones coming should aim high and tell themselves ‘this is what I want to do’. The people at the top started like them.

“They should stay focused and set targets. If they work hard, trust me they will get there.”

So far this season, Kudus has made 19 league appearances for Nordsjaelland, scoring nine times and assisting one other goal.

He was handed a second successive call-up for March’s round of Afcon qualifiers, but fears over the coronavirus pandemic forced the games to be postponed.

Bortey first rose to prominence at the 1999 Fifa U17 World Cup, where he netted three times to finish the tournament as the joint-third top scorer.

He went on to win four Ghana Premier League titles, the 2002 league goal-king award and the Caf Confederation Cup with Hearts of Oak.